


Static Void

by Opuntie



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Bad Puns, Bilingual Character(s), Blood, Blood Loss, Fluff, Gen, Hotland (Undertale), I will translate if it's important, I'M NOT DEAD, LONG CHAPTER, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Frisk (Undertale), Nosebleed, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Out of Character, Passing Out, Pasta, Physic puns, Reader-Insert, Snowdin (Undertale), Speaking Frisk, Talking Frisk, The Ruins (Undertale), The following tags will spoiler, Time Travel, Time Travel hints, You can't break the fourth wall if you don't acknowledge it, anemia, asks, carrying Frisk around, female main character, jokebook, just drowning in work. (the author), long chapters, puns, the book, wily Frisk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2019-11-15 07:56:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18069557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Opuntie/pseuds/Opuntie
Summary: A human isn't supposed to survive down here.or:How to almost die in 9 chapters.





	1. 1.Recognize: lucid dream | Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avoiding her.

Awakening was an ace. Her head hurt and every single centimeter of her body screamed in ace. The air was stinging with a way to sweet floral smell that was right about cribbing within the nose.

Trying to avoid the cramp that was building up in one of her shoulders she rolled herself onto her other side. Her glasses pushing against her nose by doing so. Flowers cribbing her face, filling it even more with stinging sweet mist.

Which was strange. She didn't knew any flowers that had this scent and smelled this extreme. Not to speak of the fact that she couldn't remember sleeping of in a field of flowers, or grassland, or even outside. It wasn't even summer! The last time she checked it was still winter. Why wasn't she frozen to the bones and more importantly, where did these flowers come from?

Opening her eyes she was greeted by a curtain of yellow and gold flower heads. She recognised this colors to be the same like the fabric covering her windows but, these weren't her orange and yellow curtains. These were the petals of countless flowers reflecting the golden light from an unfamiliar sky far above. This was wrong. Where was she? Where were her curtains? Where was her bed? Sitting up she noticed, that she was still wearing her winter sleeping gear. Over sized red hoodie and black tracksuit pants. At least something where it should be. Expect, why was she still wearing her glasses if she had just been sleeping? ... At least she could see something with them here.

Studying her surroundings she noticed that the flowers she had been laying on where only a small bright patch within an else dark cavern. Stone pillars surrounding the area and this small gap of sunlight from a crack far up in the ceiling.

This setting seemed familiar.

This couldn't be. Wasn't this- ... this cavern looked ridiculously similar to the one at the start of undertale. Just less pixeled and more real. Was this one of these strange dreams she sometimes got after spending too much time in the fandom. Like the last one where Gaster/Papyrus had tried to kill her with his maze/laboratory/extended core, ore the one before that where Sans watched her and her brother getting chased by some random mobsters, or another one where she had been/seen Flowey kill everyone within the underground. Ok, she admitted she might just have been reading a bit too many fanfictions. But, well , how could she help herself when here were all this interesting, free and somehow connected but still independent storries always accessable with just some taps on her phone. It was only reasonable that her brain had to process all of this information somehow. If it was by using her dreams, so be it. She liked them somehow. This was obviously a dream as well, a lucid one since she noiticed she was dreaming. It was great. She hadn't had one of those in years. She wouldn't waste this oprtunity.

First step: summoning Chara. She never had seen them within her dreams, which was sad because they were clearly one of the most interesting Characters. Pun unavoidable and intended.

It was clear how she would summon them. Call their name. It had more ore less been enough in the game. It was the best clue she had to summon them within a dream or whatever this was. So she called them. First skeptical then a bit louder and after a while in a sing sang melody. Nothing happened. She started to waslk around in the small flower-filled room to catch attention. But, nobody came.

Seemed like she still wouldn't be able to summon this little dead but still polite demon child. The one that nobody could really agree on if they were a nice person or the pure evil. Well, summoning didn't work. Not in this dream. If it was one. But this couldn't not be a dream. There was no way she could have gotten into an cavern like this without noticing. It was definitely a dream. Or a fan fiction. No, not a fan fiction. There was no way for her to get into a story. She would know about that, wouldn't she? Expect ... . Better not think about it.

If this was a fan fiction she would at least want to know which genre. If it was one then the only hope she had left was that it wouldn't be one of these dirty ones. She would kill the all mighty author with her bare hands. She really didn't want to be stuck in one of these. A shiver ran over her spine, she really wouldn't like that. She didn't want to be part of a fan-made story, be it fluff or whatever. She didn't want to be at some unknown force's mercy. Hostage of a bored beings mind. This had to be a dream for her own sanity's sake. This had to be her dream.

Strolling trough the room she noticed that she had crushed on some of the flowers. That was a shame and ... amazingly detailed for a dream. Crunching down she picked a squeezed flower. They really were stunningly detailed. She could see every the light shine trough its struckture, every knit and squeeze she had caused by laying on them, its smell only getting more intense through the brusies. This lucid dreams was amazing. Time to go and explore how far her imagination would rise before she woke up. Look if the room after this one would acordingly to canon lead to the flower prince or if she would already be in snowdin or hotlands like dreams liked it to switch places. To enter the next room she had to first of spot the entrance to the dark corridor. It was hard to see something within the shadows surrounding her. The spotlight like sunshine that was filling the middle area barely reached the walls and so it was easy to dismiss them and even easier to overlook the exit.

Scanning the darkness she spotted an deeper appearing crack within the walls and behind it a dimly lit small face lurking from behind it and watching the room. Watching her with an very confused and worried expression. Well that WAS embarrassing. Dream or not.

“Oh uhm ... Hi?”

She stumbled. Watching it as the silhouette jolted back in surprise. Obviously shocked about being discovered. It disappeared into the shadows. After a minute of silence, it reappeared from behind the crack and a small hand waving at her in silent greeting. Yup, she could prove the majority of the fan base to be accurate. Frisk indeed was a adorable muffin. ... At least this one. They starred at each other for some more minutes. The awkwardness steadily rising.

"So ... you are Frisk, right?"

Another jolt from the silhouette and another round of awkward silence. Then they quickly nodded and disappeared into the darkness. This time they didn't reappear and she decided it would be best to follow them. This first encounter might have been painfully awkward and embarrassing for her but what else could she do now? Stay in he flower patch and wait for Toriel? She wouldn't appear until after her fight and her dead child wouldn't answer her. Which meant that mocking the ghost was out of option, for the moment. Maybe they where already possessing the small squid. Better get up and look after them and the others.

She walked down the dark corridor that leaded to the ruins enterance. A acing unnerving feeling filling the back of her mind. Her steps echoed within the silence and she could barely make out the walls surrounding her. Being under this mountain was in an facinating way both crushing and beautifull. She could feel the area life. Maybe this was what magic feelt like, maybe this was the barrier. Regardless, she was excited. But also intimmitated about what was laying in front of her. She could feel the symbolic weight of the mountain trapping monster kind. What would she do when she actually meet them? The undertale cast was amazing but remembering her four play troughs it didn't feel right to encounter them like this. Not in person. Not with what she had tried in the last one. … It had just been a game. She shouldn't feel that bad about it.

Head full of thoughts she walked trough the door to the ruins just sprint back out within seconds at seeing Flowey. He looked … well like he normally would within the game just more hight. Well not really. But seeing this huge flower on a screen was something different from actually encountering a one meter tall flower that wasn't a sunflower. She listened to his speech carried over trough the silence, carefully to stay hidden behind the door. He was giving Frisk his special tutorial and got upset at them avoiding his friendliness pellets. Did the squid already know what was going on like she did or was it just instinkt? Either way Toriel would soon to show up and it was to decide if she wanted to show herself to the cast or stay hidden. Floweys speech ended into a startled squeak as he got driven away by the fire ball. She was about to step out from behind the door to join into Frisks jurney as she heard the goat monsters voice. Such an worried, motherly voice trying to hide the emotional pain and lonelyness that was swinging within it. She felt her sins crawling down her back and knew that she couldn't do it. This was Frisks adventure not hers. She would watch from afar like she always did. Like the flower did.

Speaking of him, where did Flowey hide after Toriel scared him of? Was he still in the room or already following Frisk? Looking around she decided that he was she was alone and followed them. The next room was the one filled with red dried leaves in front of this important staircase. The next think she knew was her jumping in on of the leave piles. This was officially her favourite room. Just too much potential to play. Strolling trough the rustling leaves or trowing them around. It was her dream, she could play a bit around.

The shining star wasn't there. She looked at the place where it normally should be. Strangely enough, everything else was perfectly in place. Just this star was missing. As such was every single one of them within the following rooms. She shrugged it of, her dream just didn't have save points, she couldn't do anything about it.

She catched up with Frisk in the room of independence. They really where a nice kid, following Toriels advice to wait even trough it already must have been a while they waited. Catching a glimpse of her they walked back the room to meet her. Thinking about it, shouldn't normally Flowey stand at this exact point she was standing? He must have been caught by Frisk walking back and forth within the room while waiting and probably hid somewhere else. The thought of him probably watching them and maybe even watching her since a while was way more uncomfortable than it had been within a game.

”Who are you?”

Frisk interrupted her thoughts. They could talk. That was something useful.

”Oh, sorry. I totally forgot. My name is…”

This wasn't real. She wasn't really there. It would feel strange to use her real name. She never did in such situations. Games, she always used a topic fitting name. Right a topic. How did they call them again? If this to some small possibility was a fanfiction, which was totally absurd like she had told herself over and over again, then she was an inserted reader, or how ever persons trapped in it were called. Right, some of them were not given a name. They had this Placeholder. This stage placeholder that Always Interrupts the reading flow. (Y/N), as if that would be a good name but she would make it into one.

“Yin. My name is Yin.”

At least this was a real name. Not the best choice maybe, it just wouldn't sound right, but a name as good as anyone else. Frisk studied them sceptical, having noticed her hesitation, but finally nodding. Accepting the answer they have gotten. They both sit in the room. Yin full of questions they don't want to ask out of fear to seem even more awkward or disturb their peace and Frisk talking with Toriel on the phone from time to time. They were just ending another call.

“The dog absorbed the phone.”

Frisk informed her of the newest development. Yin nodded having already expected this drastic turn of the backing events. Would they eventually get up and continue or was this Frisk determined to wait? She could wait the world out if it had to be, enjoining the rustical environment and flow of magic surrounding them but she also was curious to see more of it. Eventually they got up. Yin following them with her eyes before getting up herself.

“You want to follow her?”

They nodded.

“But Toriel told us to wait.”

“Me. She told me to wait. It would be to dangerous to wander off by myself she said, but...”

They looked up at her before continuing.

“... she hadn't told you anything and you're an adult. You can watch out for me to not fall into a river or get killed by a frog.”

They smiled. This wily little child was pretty good she had to admit. Not as shy as they first appeared but definitely good at judging a situation. Wandering of with a stranger was probably as good as waiting for some other stranger in an unknown territorium filled with strangers. … How did a kid get in such a situation? She really wanted to ask how they got down here but was scared that some of the theories ended up to be true. They wandered of into the next room and Yin followed them. Entering the room they got the phone call right on clue and Yin could watch their face color drop in horror about being caught in doing something, they had been told not to do. She suppressed a sudden grin at the smug kid being afraid of getting grounded. Toriel hung up before they could answer and looked up at Yin in a silent plead to wich she simply shrugged.

“Sorry squid but it was your idea to leave the room. Now it's to late too go back.”

They only raised an eyebrow at that and demonstrating her that they could, indeed, very well go back into the room. Yin chuckled at their attitude.

“I confess smarty, we could go back. But what then? Wait until the dog gets us? Don't get me wrong but I think Toriel has a lot to prepare for you before she actually returns.”

They consider my prediction then shrug in approval. Yin suddenly realised that she was now the babysitter.

They talked to the frog and got a candy each before continuing. Then Frisk had a bundle of dead leaves hitting them and one lead to another resulting in the wily kid triumpfingly sitting on Yins back.

“I have fallen to the majestick power of small children with the ability of trowing more leaves at me then I can fire back.”

Yin jokes laying on the ground half covered by leaves and used as a bench by Frisk. They giggle and she rolls over to trow them of her back.  
“But I have the power of hight.”

She stands up towering over them. Frisk, still giggling, tries to escape but she catches them of the ground and spins them around making them laugh. Then she is dizzy and sets them down.

“You're a funny lady.”

They compliment her.

“Thanks!”

She is happy about making them laugh. It's always a good thing to make someone feel better.

They noticed two monsters approaching them. A Wimsun and a Frogget. She turned forwards them curious. They appeared like they would want to join into tolling around. It was a strange sensation but as soon as the two monsters passed a certain distance she could practically feel something popping into existence beside her, or was it more like something shifting position on a higher reality? Anyways, she shifted her sight to the sensation to realise that it had been Frisks soul appearing in front of their chest. Was this how a fight started? Strangely enough she couldn't see any change at herself. No supernatrual music to pop up the battle, no black white vision, no box and most importantly of all no soul. The monsters starred similar confused at her lack of soul like Frisk did at seeing their own for the third time today.

…

Man how she just loved these silent starring contests.

She felt a dripping sensation in her nose. Leaning over she watched as a few drops of blood landed in front of her bare feet. Great, the last thinks she needed right now was her weak nose to play drama queen. The Wimsun looked horrified at hear face leaking and fled, leaving them behind with the Frogit. It jumped at them and Yin took a step back meanwhile frisk simply (somehow) raised their soul a few centimeters. Sitting now on the ground again Frisk used their chance in telling them, that they surely would become a sweet prince if kissed by a princes and Yin told them they could go now if they wanted. The frog might not have understood a single word of what they have been saying but hopped away regardless returning Frisks soul in the process.

Frisk looked up at her in worry. She looked back not getting why they looked so concerned until they pointed at their nose.

“Oh … are you concerned about my nose bleeding?”

They nodded.

“You shouldn't be. This happens from time to time. Its a medical condition but nothing to worry about. Just rather annoying when in public.”

They look at her sceptical but what could they do about this obviously careless human. They decided it would be better to keep an eye on their new friend. There still was this … incident about this so-called Chara. Flowey had referred to this name as well. Maybe they should address it but Yin was already marching of on the haunt after another water canal.

They continued trough the ruins in more or less silence, each caught up in their own thoughts and Frisk doing most of the puzzles since Yin avoided everything expect a straight march, getting nose bleeding for a minute or two every time they encountered a monster and cleaning it off as soon as they found some water. Which was more then odd and rather concerning but she insisted on shrugging it off. As they got into a slightly smaller corridor with only an exit to the left and to the front, she stopped walking.

“Hey, Frisky, would you mind going through the next rooms on your own while I wait over there?”

She points at the exit right in front of them and Frisk nods in agreement. They had done almost everything by your own anyways.

“Thanks … By the way could you ask Toriel for some spare clothes? We might need them.”

They just starred at her in confusion but eventually nodded. Yin thanked them once more and they each headed their separate ways. Frisk shaking their head in confusion at her behaviour and Yin relived they had agreed on asking Toriel for spare clothes. It would be pure agony walking trough the winter forest barefoot. She entered the empty balcony above the ruins. Looking down at the beauty of the city she saw that there still where a lot more monsters living down there then she had first thought. There was no way she could have encountered them all within this digital last play trough... or did she?

She sat down wondering how long she would have to wait until Frisk would have convinced Toriel to let them out of the ruins. Should she have warned them about the upcoming fight and the choice they had to make? But how would that have looked like? She had probably freaked them out enough. Not only the strange situation at the flower patch but also her constant nose bleeding, normally it wouldn't take longer then five minutes, but this time she got the expression that it started again as soon as it stopped. On top of that predicting the future would become to much. It wasn't her goal to creep Frisk out. She just wanted to have some fun.

Letting her gaze wander around her attention got caught by the toy knife across the balcony. … It didn't look sharp. The stick was a way better hitting weapon. Her head felt heavy.

…

She awoke by a small hand patting her head. It was Frisk looking down at her in concern with tear strained eyes.

“Oh god, Frisk? What happened?”

They looked so small and sad. It was a stupid idea to let them go all on their own. Especially to this emotional fight. Had they...

“I- I... Mom... Toriel she wouldn't let me go and you wouldn't wake up I- … I waited a whole night before- before...”

They stopped looking so sad and desperate. Tears blurring up in their small eyes. Panic began building up in her chest.

“Frisk... you haven't...”

They jolted starring at her for a second before frankly shaking their head.

“N-No … she let me go eventually. B-But... she was so sad by doing so.”

Yin embraced the crying kid in a hug trying to calm them down. It really had been the stupidest idea to let them go on their own all this emotional pressure and panic on this young child. Next time she had to take more care of them.

“Don't worry. We will see her again.”

They only nodded clinching into her hoodie.

“Hey, about seeing her again. I think I might just know where she could have gone. You remember that flower patch way at the entrance? I could think of going there to get my head free, maybe she thought of going there as well. Shall we go there to look after her and say good bye?”

They brightened up at the idea but then shook their head to Yin's surprise.

“I... would really like to see her again but... she asked me not to. I don't want to cross any more boundaries she might have. … Lets ... Lets get out this mountain first. … I think it would be the best way to say sorry, by getting her out and show her the sunlight. It's really unhealthy without it, you know?”

Yin couldn't any different but smile at that. This kid really was something and definitely had her support.

“Yes. I know about the health issue and yes, I agree with everything else you said. Lets get out of here and then lets get her outside as well to show her the beauty of the sky.”

They nodded smiling. Then jumped up and leaded Yin to Toriels house.

“Mom allowed me to take spare clothes before our argument. We can finally find you some shoes. She also made me a pie. It's magical! You should try a piece since you look like the dead... you scarred when you wouldn't wake up, but you were still breathing so I figured you must have been really tired and would wake up later, like you did.”

Yin was concerned. Not only for Frisk this time but also for herself. Since when could someone sleep within a dream? Why did this bleeding occur so often? All of this felt a bit to real for her. She was worried.

Entering Toriels house she was hit by a wonderful scent of freshly backed cake. Like on auto pilot her feed led her into the kitchen, just to witness the annoying dog approaching the source of backed goods.

“No, you won't.”

She glared at him taking two long steps crossing the kitchen and rescuing the cake. Then she realised that she didn't have a knife. Instead she searched for a spoon and used it to part the cake in two equal parts. Then she parted hers once more to share with Frisk. After taking out the two smaller parts onto a plate she sat the backing pan onto the ground for the dog to eat there. Godness or whatever, animals at a certain size didn't eat on the counter.

She turned back to find Frisk looking at her rather baffled.

“... The dog would have eaten it no matter what. I'm reducing a bit of what would have been to clean up after his pie massacer. … Here, eat some breakfast. ”

She held out the plate for them to take a piece.

“I suppose you haven't eaten your first one yet but wanted to save it for later?”

They slowly nodded taking it. They were standing there each eating the cake not speaking. The first one to finish was Frisk followed by the annoying dog, Yin took her time to admire the flavours of this backed good. It was way too sweet. She could practically feel he sugar setting in. But otherwise it was perfect and she would have loved it to have another one. She also noticed her sleepiness that had slowly been building up and didn't vanish through her sleep finally disappearing. That was probably how a healing item felt probably when consumed. They cleaned their hands in the sink and Yin insisted on washing up at least their plate and the spoon they used before exiting the room again. The backing pan was declared territorium of the dog now and no one was allowed to touch it.

Going trough the clothes collection for the children Yin was more then surprised to find a nearly fitting pair. She had pretty big feed so even when this pair was actually to small, the fact that she could fit inside these boots was a miracle. One of the kids must have been around her age. Going trough the tops was a bit more disappointing. Only a tight T-shirt fitted her, all the pull overs or jackets where a great deal smaller then she was, but considering what came next it was better then nothing and an extra layer under her hoddie was always welcomed. Frisk didn't really want to take anything but Yin insisted on them taking a jacked with them, arguing that they couldn't know how cold the caverns could get. Resigning they picked out a thick brown one. Yin felt a bit bad about plundering Toriels house but considering that the dog would have eaten all the remaining cake with or without them and that these clothes would probably never been worn again gave her the needed excuses.

They passed the basement, the place where Frisk had fought Toriel and into the dark room where the flower waited for them.

“Clever. Very clever. The little trick you pulled there wasn't to bad, Chara. But let not discuss this here. Not in front of our guest.”

Flowey turned his attention from Frisk to Yin.

“Greetings. I'm Flowey. Flowey the flower. I'm afraid you skipped my little introduction at the start? But I suppose now little old me is a little to late to repeat that. I will be honest, I didn't notice you at first. Sneaking around like that. You should get a lecture about manners, but you seem interesting enough to let you live, for now.”

“Jawohl mein Lord.”

Flowey and Frisk looked at her in confusion, not understanding her random response.

“Sorry … I guess I'm a bit panicking.”

At that statement, Foweys grin turned into one of his creepy smiles.

“Oh well, you definitely should be.”

 


	2. 1. Regognize_2: Ask and answer | Snowdin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being asked questions someone doesn't really want to answer by people someone knows more about than themselves.

Stepping into a perfect surface of freshly fallen snow Frisk noticed how suspicious convenient their newly snitched jacked was. They stood there, slowly sinking in the soft ground and watched their companion approaching a nearby bush.  
"Yin, I have questions."  
She froze in her traps. A last glance at the hidden camera in the evergreens beside her then she turned back to Frisk. Of course, they had questions, she had questions herself. Her acting had been miserable, they both knew it. But she didn't want to answer them, not now. But, did she have a choice against this set blubbery and strawberry muffin? She guessed not.  
Taking a deep breath she walked back the few steps she just took.  
"Of course you have. I guess I don't have a choice, do I? I will answer your questions ... if I can. But before that, let us keep moving. I don't want you to freeze down to the bone ... also over there is a camera and I don't really like it to be watched. Flowery is more then enough audience if you ask me."  
Yin pointed at the bush that had caught her attention earlier with a slim smirk. Frisk was wondering how she could know about a camera there but they agreed. It sounded be better to walk while talking. The forest around them was rather creepy and with the warmth of Toriel's house leaving them they felt cold. Really cold. They noticed how they were starting to shiver and Yin looked like she would prefer to curl up somewhere warm.  
"You know what, Frisk? I got an even better idea. Jump on. I will give you a ride on my back. It will be warmer for both of us and you can't be too heavy small fry."  
They looked up to her. A bit confused but definitely not arguing with the opportunity of getting warmer and not having to walk. Climbing on her back was rather easy since she kneed down to their height to pick them up. She appeared like she has done this a few times before. They started walking. Not without Yin waving a greeting to the camera. Frisk didn't knew to whom it might be going but nevertheless they did the same. Being friendly shouldn't hurt.  
Considering their questions they started their ride/walk.  
"So ... you said I'm allowed to ask you anything?"  
They started the conversation.  
"Well, I would rather not but I can see that you're practically burning with them and I'm sure you are determined to get your answers. It couldn't be worse than a dead silent walk. But be warned. I also have questions and can't answer everything. Still ... I will try to."  
That response was a bit underwhelming but they would take what they could get.  
"Ok then. First of, did you know there was a camera in the bush?"  
"Yes."  
"How?"  
"I saw it. You also saw it."  
"Yes, but only after you pointed it out."  
Yin only shrugged at that and this time Frisk really was disappointed. Seems like they had to phrase their questions better if they wanted useful answers.  
"Very well. Then tell me, how did you solve the puzzle with the doubled floor that fast? Yes, I also solved it but you only fell through the floor once!"  
"The one with the leaves? I used the hole I already made in the floor to see the room beneath. With that it was easy to follow the path."  
"You were already halfway through the puzzle when you misstepped."  
"Lucky guess?”  
"You don't believe that yourself, do you?"  
"Heh, what else could I have done?"  
Frisk had to admit that this was a good point. They hadn't had had one of these strange loops over the puzzle and only had had to solve it once. Thinking about it ...  
"... This might sound like a strange question but … do you remember something like a loob?"  
"What loob?"  
Yin asked while realising that they might just have been talking about the time jumping. Great, well hopefully the topic would come up again. Thinking back, she couldn't pin down if one happened. Everything already feeld similar and like a giant déjà vu to her. There hadn't been a situation where either one of them were close to death. She had to admit that it was mostly thanks to the candy. Considering to ask for clarification, Frisk already moved to the next topic.  
"Forget about it, it's not important. What's more interesting is why your nose starts bleeding every time we encounter someone."  
That came as a surprise to her.  
"Is it really every time we encounter someone?"  
She asked, not having seen the connection before. Frisk nodded and she tried to come up with a reasonable explanation.  
"I think it could be because the skin within my nose is and always was very this and is easy to break. Maybe it reacts to the magical static that gets stronger when we encounter someone. Maybe that's why I subconsciously tried to avoid them."  
"Magical static?"  
Frisk asked.  
"Yea, this energical buzzing feeling in the air. Didn't you notice it?"  
"Oh… I… think I did? I haven't paid it much attention I guess.”  
They walked in silence for a minute before Frisk got up with the question that was nagging at them since the beginning.  
"Who is Cha-"  
Just as they passed the name they got interrupted by a loud cracking sound right behind them. It made both of them jolt. Looking back Frisk could see the thick branch, they had just stepped over, broken in half. But besides that, nothing. The path was empty. They were thankful that Yin didn't let anything interrupt her walk for even a second. Especially when they caught a glimpse of a shadow, disappearing as soon as it appeared. Frisk decided it would be better for her own shake to not look back again until they finally passed this creepy section. After some hurried meters of tense silence, in Frisks case also slightly panicking, Yin abruptly stopped in front of a bridge. Frisk was too scared to peak behind them even when they could feel a presence approaching them. They didn't dare to move or say anything. Why did Yin had to stop walking? Sure there was something similar to a gate in their way but its bars were way too big to stop someone their size. Why didn't she continue?!  
"Greetings humans."  
A monoton static voice could be heard right behind them.  
"Don't you know how to great a new friend?"  
Frisk could feel that Yin was holding her breath. She was probably similar terrified like they were.  
"Turn around and shake my hand."  
Like on clue Yin spun around with frisk and they looked down at a skeleton. A standing skeleton. A speaking skeleton. A living skeleton! Now there they where, on top of being terrified, also confused. Was this another monster? Judging by the high difference when looking over Yins shoulder it had to be about half a head higher than them. They were thankful for being carried and so more or less on higher ground. Staring down at it was way better then being the one started down on, especially from a skeleton. They realised that it still offered them a hand as greeting. Of course, Yin couldn't take it while carrying them. She also didn't seem to be bothered to even attempt it, Frisk hade to do it. Reaching over her shoulder and taking the offered hand they could feel how utterly cold and bony it was. A shiver ran down their spine but... there was also something soft that got squeezed when they shook hands. The next thing that happened was a loud farting noise writing from it. A bit baffled they inspected their hands a bit closer and could discover the soft utensil to be a whoopie cushion. A whoopie cushion of all things. Frisk had never seen something less threatening. They erupted into laughter as all the build-up panic and dread left their body at once. They fell of Yins back, holding their stomach laughting. This was ridiculous! This was so ridiculous that they couldn't help themselve but love it. They saw that the skeleton was also laughing meanwhile Yin chuckled and tried to help them back on their feet. Standing again the skeleton introduced itself and started talking. He seemed nice and Frisk decided that there had been no reason for them to be afraid, especially when they weren't alone.  
Sans led them through the bars and Frisk decided not to be afraid of his brother named Papyrus he spoke of since they had only been scared for no reason up to this point. They hid behind the conveniently shaped lamp and Yin sprinted behind the station. She hadn't even bothered to look around but nearly instantly vanished behind the checkpoint.  
Just as Yin had hoped, the station had a small heater hidden below the counter. Bless whoever remembered to include heaters to assure the guards wouldn't freeze.  
Sitting behind the counter she listened to the brother's spiel, giggling by herself. Even if she already knew the individual passages if was always funny to hear it again and even funnier to not only read it but actually hear their voices and vocal expressions. That was another thing she noticed. Their voices. Even though she had never really heard them they appeared familiar. She had heard so many versions of them but none has seemed to fit right, until now. Papyrus laughter echoed through the silent forest like thunder and the small after note 'nyeh' that he especially came back for, gave her the rest and she burst out in laughter. Thankfully she broke just a moment after Papyrus left the clearing again.  
"you seem to enjoy yourself at my post?"  
Sans asked from his spot. She nodded and waved at the smirking Frisk. The small squid was also just about to burst into laughter.  
"Your brother is awesome sans!"  
She stated and Frisk nodded frankly to support her statement.  
"yup, isn't the coolest?"  
Sans agreed while brightening up. He continued with his usual speech asking them to cheer his brother up a little and Yin realised, that she had the opportunity to ask something she had never gotten an answer to.  
“Why is he do down lately?"  
"what?"  
Sans looked at her a bit confused. She repeated her question.  
"You said that Papyrus was a bit down lately. Why is that so?"  
"heh, kid, for a reason I didn't think you would question it. well, I'm not much of a storyteller. short, he's working himself down to the bone to get into the royal guard but undyne won't let him in. my best guess is that this is nagging at his bones. at least that's what I think it could be. i'm not so sure myself to be honest.”  
Yin could understand that. The feeling of being trapped in place and not getting anywhere could really get to someone.  
"anyways, you better keep going. my bro might come back and then you will have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes."  
She wouldn't have a problem with more of his jokes. The cold was a more concerning issue to her. In game, she couldn't actually feel it as a player but being here was a whole different story. Also, she wanted to see more.  
“Then, until later."  
She waved goodbye. Over at the lamp, she picked Frisk up to continue their walk. Of course, only a few corners later, she would see the brothers again. Filled with anticipation towards seeing their ridiculous spiel, she continued trough the snowy landscape.  
Stocking the box there was no way they would dismiss the thought gloves in this weather. They were perfect to shield their hands from the cold. They weren't big enough for Yin so it was clear which one of them got them. Since they now no longer carried the stick Yin used it to make them a seat. Holding it at the sides with them sitting in the middle part. Making it both easier and practicable to carry them around.  
Meet with the brothers again was as hilarious as expected, if not better. Papyrus was now convinced that humans were two-headed beings and by the end of it, Frisk was crying of laughter. Dogs got petted and comical skeletons requested them to do ridiculous puzzles. Lesser dog got inspiration pets and Frisk had to be convinced that no, human necks can't do that as well and yes that means they better should stop trying to stretch it.  
They travelled through the frozen forest. Dancing around encounters and solving ridiculous puzzles. It was ridiculous, funny, fluffy, amazing and cold. Very cold. Without the child on her back, Yin would probably have stayed in one of the empty, warm stations. Maybe even stayed until a sentry returned to it, just to not go back into the cold on her own and then… . Then they would have taken her soul. Well, when she had one. None of the previous encounters had been able to summon her soul. Nothing expect a prickling in the air and a little blood dripping from her face. After that mostly some confused or creeped out monsters, at least when they noticed it, and then a red light floating in front of Frisk's chest. That was the spiel. That was the drill. They had somehow managed every encounter up until now and she was still carrying the kid. Even when she was slowly starting to feel a bit dizzy. But she wouldn't put down the squid.  
She wasn't the strongest but they weren't too big to lift. It was warmer and faster this way after all. Still, she could feel her arms get heavier and heavier with each passing room. She used the puzzles as a chance to let the squid. Letting them solve the puzzle on their own. There was only one puzzle she was to attempt. The one and only that could potentially change in this run and it was hers.  
Sadly, the electrical maze still wasn't random. Yin suspected Alphys to have helped out her secretly declared protagonists.  
So much about her solving a puzzle. Still, watching Papyrus spin away in silent shock almost made up for it. Almost. She wanted to try this puzzle for years and now it still was a joke.  
Well, no use in crying for the broken. There was a snowdin to be explored. She only had to deal with this stuff first. This Ice on the ground. Her mortal enemy.  
It wasn't like she couldn't solve the sliding maze. It was more that she couldn't hold her balance on the slippery ground. Sliding over the edge, missing the switch by mere millimetres, tumbling, losing her balance and falling, landing between the two snow statues and getting back up to try once more. Then again. Another try, another fly. She was thankful that she and Frisk solved these puzzles individually and the squid, this slippery snail, already passed the maze an eternity ago. Sliding over the ice like the snow Queen they probably were. Would they still be on her back some of these falls would have seriously hurt them. But as it was now they were just waiting for her on the other side. Sliding back and forth between the rooms. Looking how long she would still take and trying to cheer her on. Also proudly reporting which snow figure the received this time. In truth, they were just bored to death by now. But after that one time, they had tried to help her and failed spectacularly they wouldn't touch her ever again while she was sliding. She had to do it on her own.  
Yin felt the edge, she had tried to hold onto, slip from her grip once again and then there was wind rushing into her face. Then a small thud and she lieed face first in ridiculous soft snow. How in the world? This Ice was lynched against her! Well, one more round of admiring the well crafted and well not crafted snow sculptures until her head stopped spinning and then back up again! Wilthy Frisk who didn't took fall damage might have topped her here but she would catch up with the squid! Just they wait! Next round, next fall. Just this time it was extra soft. Looking around she saw one snow figure. More, the name given snow pile. The other one was gone. Looking down she saw a new pile. … she had landed on snow Papyrus.  
Frisk collected the crying human companion minutes later when she was long overdue to her next attempt. They watched her slide over edges and suppressing curses for another ten minutes before they decided to proceed a bit into the snow world and let her catch up on her own eventually. Yin agreed on that. Only the god of dogs might know how long she will still have to try. It was getting colder by the minute now and the kid shouldn't stay to long in the freezing forest. Two more attempts and she finally had enough of her little rests at the lower level. Let her spinning head spin and showing her stars, she wanted to finally proceed. She was slipping regardless of the circumstances so she couldn't care less if she could actually still see the switches on the ice. She knew the drill and just had to get over it. Then the ground disappeared for one last time.  
-  
Her head hurt. Her head hurt badly and her throat itched. But it was warm. Where was she? Opening one eye the pain got worse but she needed to know where she was. To her right, she could see a mild colourful light from outside a window. She was laying on a couch. Hold on a second, was it that couch? The legendary couch nearly every fictional character got to sleep on eventually?  
She sat up to inspect her surroundings making her had on top of acing also spin.  
Yup, it was the legendary couch. How in the world did she get into the brother's house? She had blacked out, did she? The last thing she remembered was trying to slide over the ice maze. Inspecting the window she saw that the cavern outside somehow had gotten dark.  
How did that work? Was the cavern lit by some kind of phosphorescent flora growing on the ceiling, that used the sun warmed ground to produce its own light in the dark or had the monster society put the effort in to install lamps on the cavern's ceiling? Where it some kind of glowing crystal? But why would it get dark then? Thinking back she hadn't had seen any light source in the ruins where the ceiling had been a lot lover and easier to inspect. It was pretty clear how the rest of the underground was lit. Waterfalls had its luminous water, Hotland was hovering over magma and the core was lit by neon lamps. How were new home and snowdin illuminated?  
She thought about that a bit longer, letting her thoughts wander off in secret hope to fall back asleep. To no avail. There was just too much on her mind to let her rest. Gazing around she caught eyes with the book. Should she read it? It clearly was there to be read. But should she? Her headache had calmed down to a dull throbbing so there was nothing speaking against reading a bit to pass some time.  
While reading an interesting passage in the twenty-fifth quantum physic book she jolted up. Something in the corner of her eyes had startled her. Looking up she saw that it had been Papyrus. The lanky skeleton must have entered the room somewhen without her noticing. … Wait what? Noticing her distress the lanky skeleton tiled his head.  
“Is something wrong, human?”  
He asked slightly concerned and in a normal almost whispering speaking volume. That was even more confusing. Not that she didn't expect him to be able to speak in a normal speaking volume. She just didn't expect him to speak in a normal speaking volume. That … didn't make much sense.  
“N-nothing. I just didn't notice you there. … since when are you standing here?”  
She definitely remembered to not have seen him earlier while studying her surroundings.  
“Oh, yes. I, the great Papyrus, must ask you for forgiveness. I just returned from my magnificent early morning patrol and found it rather impressive to find you awake. Not to speak from reading in this dim light. I couldn't decide to turn on the light. It could have hurt your eyes when they have adapted to the darkness. I also couldn't decide to interrupt you to ask how you would like it. But you have caught me mid thinking so we will have one worry less. Now, tell me, human, would you prefer my fabulous bright light or rather let it as it is.”  
This were a lot of words in the early morning. Despite reading, listening and paying attention to what was told got her head stinging again. They were speaking in lowered tone to not interrupt anyone who might be sleeping but her head still wasn't awake enough to comprehend audio signals very well.  
“I- It's ok. If you don't need it I would prefer to let it out. The lights from the light chain are enough to see. Also, the brightness of your magnificent light really could be too much to handle for me, for now.”  
Papyrus nodded and reassured her she could tell him When she changed her mind. He also announced to no longer interrupt her reading and went to the kitchen to prepare the preparation for breakfast.  
Yin let herself slide back into the cushions of the couch, relaxing. Listening to the soft noises carried over from the kitchen. Like always, Papyrus was also the greatest in being quiet. She asked herself how early it was. Probably around four or three am. The others where must still be sleeping. Was Frisk still in the garage? Or had they taken over Papyrus bed? Closing her eyes she could feel how the sleep took her over once again.  
The next time she awoke it was with Frisk shaking her arm. They looked a bit concerned, a bit flustered and definitely excited.  
“Yin! Yin! Wake up!”  
She crawled open one eye to glanced at them before withdrawing under the blanket. The book sliding down in the process. None of them even credited it the bat of an eye when it made contact with the floor. Frisk squeaked at her denial and increased their shaking ability for a good percentage.  
“Wakeupwakeupwakeup!!!”  
That … seems a bit urgent. Finally sitting up she watched the child bouncing up and down eagerly.  
“Ok, what's up squid?”  
They were about to burst out when they stopped them self to reconsider. They climbed onto her lab to be able to whisper it into her ear.  
“I'm going on a date with Papyrus!”  
Oh, it was this part already? Well done kid. However, the fight had gone down they seemed to have taken it very well.  
“That's great Frisk.”  
“Yes, yes, I know. Now, I really need some advice.”  
“Advice?”  
Had she made the final mistake that they figured out she knew about the future?  
“Yes! Advice! I … never was on a date before. Please grant me some of your wisdom!”  
Thank God. They hadn't figured it out. Ok, there might not be any drastic consequences if anyone did but it also could be. She would prefer it if they didn’t know. Back to the topic at hand. Frisk need dating advice. … Which was another problem.  
“ ... I have never been on one either.”  
She admitted. Frisk stared at her with wide eyes.  
“ … but you're an adult!!!”  
They had no right to be this shocked about it!  
“And?”  
She asked provoking.  
“And adults are supposed to have dates.”  
They were way too adorable. This couldn't be legal! She couldn't crash their beliefs as ridiculous as they were.  
“Well, you see… I'm kind of a new adult and hadn't had time to date anyone.”  
Great, this was a great whitewash of being alone for the majority of once short life. Frisk also looked everything but convinced.  
“What the heck is a new adult?”  
They didn't just curse, did they? A cursing Frisk wasn't legal.  
“I- What I meant is that I'm not actually an adult. I'm probably not that much older then you are. … How old are you anyway?”  
“Nine.”  
“Nine. Perfect. You see, I'm only nineteen. Not that much older.”  
“So your just a really old teenager?”  
“I'm a really old teenager.”  
She agreed on laughing. Frisk nodded in satisfaction of Having made this point clear. Then they shook their head.  
“Great that we settled our age difference and your personal issue.”  
“Hey, being single is no issue!”  
“Yea, yea. Whatever. Go, tell it to the mountain. Now, can you help me or not?”  
Yin signed, giving into her faith.  
“Yes, I can. Don't worry about the date going wrong. There actually isn't anything you can do wrong. Whatever you say he will take it in a positive way. But don't expect too much. He will ask you to stay on a friendship basis. Nothing more, really.”  
They looked at her startled. Then they shook themselves and got up to go to their date.  
“... ok. Thanks for the … prediction?”  
They vanished up upstairs.  
Yin felt a cold shiver run down her spine. This had turned out sounding way more predicting then she had intended. It was probably better if she stayed silent in the future. Hopefully, they wouldn't question any more of her knowledge. She really didn't like this dancing around the truth. She could just tell them the truth but … what was the truth? That they weren't real? That they all were just copies of side characters her mind build into a dream? As if they would Bruce get any of this and what if she was mistaken? What if this really was something else?  
She picked up the book that was laying on the ground and continued flipping through the books. Some time passed without her stopping to read anything. She was determined to get to its core. Opening one book inside another book inside another one.  
“you really have to stop this.”  
She right about jumped off the couch in startled surprise. This sneaky skeletons!  
“Oh god, Sans! You scared me to death!”  
He was trying to suppress a paniced laught. Standing over at the kitchen entrance she had absolutely no idea how long he had been there.  
He raised a hand pointing at the book(s) she was flipping through.  
“you have to stop flipping through this or your head will start to spin.”  
She didn't even think about putting this absurdity of a so-called book down.  
“No. … could I keep it until we go, please? I only read a quantum of it.”  
Smirking she watched him processing the pun.  
“well, after these… incidences yesterday and now surprising you while sneaking through my stuff. you could say I caught you red-handed.”  
He was referring to her nose bleeding, wasn't he? She wasn't really impressed about the pun either.  
“Aww come on Sans. Put a bit more backbone into it.”  
She was actually duelling the pun master! Her excitement was boiling up.  
“says the person who just copied Papyrus’ pun.”  
“Don't worry. I will try to put a bit more backbone into the quantity of my puns.”  
He raised a non-existent brown at her double pun and she decided to add another one.  
“Please, let me read this book. You could say I'm bleeding for it.”  
“maybe, but you need to learn to not be so nosey, kid.”  
He walked over to her with a glass of water in his hand. Setting it down in front of her at the living room table.  
“But I'm running on boredom.”  
“ok ok. But I have some quantums to mask you before you can slide through the book.”  
She snorted at the puns. But really? Another round of ask and answer? Well, what could she do? Refusing to answer definitely wouldn't be suspicious at all. She decided to play along.  
“Pastastic!”  
“Good. Well, you seem to know pretty well about the underground. Have you ever heard about a talking flower?”  
Oh, that was direct. He was already talking about the ‘echo flowers’.  
“Yes.”  
She nodded. Better get everything off now before she changed her mind again.  
“So you heard about them, the echo flowers.”  
She nodded again. This was nothing she hasn't already heard before. Still, this atmosphere was creepy and his skip of the prologue rather unsettling.  
He continued his speech and she followed along trying to distinguish something new while drink the water that had been offered to her.  
“And then there are you, giving ominous answers about things you shouldn't know as detailed as you do.”  
‘course he had to get to expand his creepy speech right when she tried to drink something and of course she had to drink now, when he was giving his creep talk. Coughing like a fish on land she tried to get the water back out of her throat.  
“I- I … “  
She didn't know how to respond to this.  
“W- What are you trying to imply?”  
She asked with a squeaking voice. Not suspicious at all.  
He must also have noticed it, she could see it in his smug grin. He knew he struck a nerve.  
“I'm not implying anything, human. I'm merely listing up some things I noticed. You seem to be a bit woken up over it. Did I mention something interesting?”  
She stared at him.  
“N-No. Yes. I-”  
What should she do? Argh! Damn it! She would just tell him. The worst thing that could happen to her was to wake up.  
“I know what's going to happen.”  
This was … unpleasant. If this wasn't a dream she was about to mess up a lot.  
She curled into herself, hugging her knees and starring to the floor. Better not think about it.  
“At least some possibilities of what is going to happen to them. I don't know anything about myself in that matter.”  
She hoped for a reaction but he didn't respond at all.  
“... Heh. Must be a blast of information. I guess it would be better to not believe me. I can't rely on my memory pretty well anyways.”  
There was silence. Oh, how she just loved this tense silence. It wasn't like she hadn't already had enough of this yesterday. She watched his shadow on the ground. The fun daylight made its corners appear like the edges of rainy clouds. Right, it was day since a while. She asked herself how long she had slept in.  
“how do you know what you claim to know?”  
She thought about the question for some minutes. Of course, she had expected it but it still was unlikely he would just bluntly ask. But he had also skiped some less necessary stuff in his speach. Was he in somewhat like a rush to be so directly? He had never right about asked Frisk if they were a time traveller, did he? Thinking about that...  
“... I'm not the legendary fartmaster.”  
She said. His shadow shrugged.  
“that's uh ... a really childish-”  
He was interrupted by Papyrus bursting out of his room, through the living room and out the front door. Startling her and ripping her attention from the shadow. The date was over apparently and a giggling Frisk followed after Papyrus and out the front door as well.  
Collecting herself she noticed that Sans was gone.


	3. 1.Recognize_3: It's going well | Waterfalls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not in delay or anything. :v  
> Don't worry, this story will have an end...somewhen.

She sneezed. Despite her rest earlier she felt dizzy.

This was stupid. She was actually here, in underground. She had the chance to really experience this world. Not just trough a screen. Not just trough a game but for real! And what did she do? Bleeding like a decapitated chicken, passing out like a medieval wife and on top of that, or because if it, catching a cold. Plus; she had forgotten to eat the breakfast Papyrus had left for her. Which was making her feel guilty for wasting his efforts.

If she was to continue like this the next step would be to drop dead.

…

That … actually wasn't to unthinkable considering who they would encounter within this area.

But still, this was the underground. There was no way they could die. At least not permanent. Right? Thinking about it; could it be that she already died without remembering it? They had wanted to ask about it, didn't they?

She watched Frisk who was walking in front of her. Had they had to rewrite time somewhere on the way or had they actually made it this far without dying? She hoped for the later. It would be horrible if there had been times she had had let them die. She wouldn't forgive herself such a thing.

She continued to watch them walking until she had to sneeze again. She took a tissue out of her pocket to clean up the bloody snot.

The package was another thing Frisk had gotten for her.

In the ruins she had walked from one stream to another with a bloody face, traumatising every Whinsum on their way. In the frozen forest she had used the snow, slowly freezing her face but at least it had been a lot cleaner. In waterfalls there would have been more chances then in the ruins to clean but she couldn't deny that there was nothing in the world to top the usage of tissues to stop a bleeding nose. She was thankful that the kid had thought about asking the brothers for it.

Thinking about it, had there been anything she had done for them? She had set her mind on protecting the kid but when she was thinking back to it, there wasn't really anything threatening down here for them to be protected from. Nothing expect the emotional pressure during the first bos fight and there she had knowingly failed them. Despite that she had successfully worried them, acted like a total freak and told them lies.

They stopped in front of a blue flower and Frisk went to explore the room.

She wasn't any help, was she? They're where better without her. Weren't they?

She starred at the echo flower, spiralling into her disappointment over herself.

After a while she felt a tugging on one of her her sleeves. It was Frisk looking up to her.

“ Sans wanna go and catch some lunch at Grilby's with us. Are you coming along?”

She looked up at sans winking at her then back down at Frisk.

“ S-Sure I d-do.”

They nodded approvingly and dragged her behind following sans’ shortcut. The feeling of entering a room without passing a door first was against every nature she had and she was relieved to be sitting on a warm counter the next moment. She was just so tired and everithing she did seemed wrong. Lowering her head onto the counter she closed her eyes.

“ heh, that tired already kiddo?”

Sans mocked to wich she she just hummed agreeing. She couldn't bring herself to lift her head once it was nested between her arms, instead she showed a thumps up with one of her free hands.

Frisk giggled beside her. Good to know that they where still in the good mood from earlier. They started chatting with Sans and she listened to their conversation. It was the usual topic, the usual menu and the usual prank. Nothing she didn't knew already. But instead of the canon timeline, she was the one taking the ketchup drowned plate not wanting to waste the food and with the mentality that there can't be too much sauce on anything. Even when told sauce was ketchup. Sans tried to hold onto his serious talk later on but was obviously distressed by the human eating freshly ruined food and Frisk wasn't paying attention at all anymore. Instead atarring at their companion in distressed amusend.

With her slurping the half soup the creepy atmosphere was gone within seconds after it was created and she couldn't bring herself to think that this was a bad thing. Frisk was worried enough, thanks to her, and she knew about Flowey. There wasn't much they could do about him anyways.

She had already tried to stay out of the important events. In the end she had messed it up regardles. There was no canon way to sleep over at the brothers house or get extra items in Asriels bedroom, like they had done. This timeline was messed up by now and when she was going to ruin everything no matter what she tried, then she could as well stop to pretend that she didn't.

Frisk still had their fun despite their companions condition and she wanted it to stay this way. Worrying that their flowery stalker could be more dangerous then they already knew didn't need to be added just now. They would learn about that eventually and she would have to get herself together again. … Maybe she just couldn't thinking straight anymore.

  
  


She watched them play in the puddles they came across. It worried her a bit that they might catch a cold as well but she forbid herself to interrupt the kids fun. They would get dried again as soon as they arrived in Hotland and despite that Frisk appeared like a healthy and fit kid. They would be fine. Stepping trough waterfalls, jumping over flowers and stopping to read the inscriptions on the walls. It was obvious that they were enjoying themselve. She on the other hand passed the inscriptions without gifting them an eye. Vision to blurry to read anything and a humming in the back of her head that she didn't want to accept. She would have to stay and rest for a bit when they got to the laboratory and meet Alphys. But for now there was the path in front of them. Only the soft gloving of the caverns illuminating their way. The ceiling dark with small glowing sparkles in between. It was peaceful and quiet.

Then there was Undyne. At the edge of the bridge she noticed her within the shadows. This … this was the first case. Over this ridiculously curved bridge. It was the first time that the warrior got to chase them. Taking a deep breath she took a step forward and prepared to run. The static of magic filling the air and with the hissing sound of the magic she could se the spears flying towards them. They both started to run. The kid a lot faster than her in her damaged state. This was ridiculous! How was she supposed to doge something that was coming from behind her. Of course! Frisk didn't seem to have any problem with it. Already half way over the bridge and dodging with all the peace of the earth. Granted, there being two of them, Undyne had to split her attention and with that there where less spears to dodge for each of them. But it was still ridiculously unfair. After some minutes of miraculously surviving the attacks she almost managed it to escape over the bridge. Being only scratched by some of them. Which in itself was allready aganozyng with the static roaring in hear head and the part of her body going numb. The kid had already made it and was cheering at her from a save spot. She was almost there. Almost. Only a few steps seperating her and the end when her chest suddenly burned and she collapsed onto her knees. That- That wasn't right. She had almost made it and now-, now there was a freaking glowing spear jutting out of her chest like she was a pickled herring. She starred at it in disbelief while the statik took over hear head making her vision going darker yet darker until she eventually faded out. Was she now finally dead?

  
  


-

  
  


She woke up in an unknown room. With a buzzing in her head and a feeling in her limps like a kingdom of ants had taken over their place. She didn't try to move, the painful prickling would just have intensified and there was no guarantee she would be able to do it anymore anyways. According to what Undynes goal was in haunting them there was no reason she should still be alive. At least not in her human form. This could a well just be a phantom feeling that her mind imagined onto not to have to comprehend to be reduced to its mere core. Or maybe not. The was no glass tank around her and no light radiating from her. She was still herself. In her foolish, human, sick body.

The room surrounding her was silent expect of the sound of a distant venting mechanism. The ceiling above her was from a dark grey, the air cold and dusty. Was it the third or already the fourth time she awoke in an unknown place after passing out? She couldn't really remember it anymore. Her mind slow and fogged. Time passed and her conscious slowly faded back into nothingness. A tall wite figure was standing beside her bed. Had it be standing there this whole time? She couldn't remember seeing it approaching. Neither could she remember if it had been here since she awoke. Seeing it only in the corner of her eye was unnerving and she decided it couldn't we worse to see it as a whole. Tilting her head, to have a better look at it, nothing was there. 

Hiding under the blanked and biting away the buzzing pain in her limbs, she listened for something, anything, that could indicate for something being near. But there was nothing. Nothing expect the sound of the venting machinery. But this thing … no. She must have imagined it. There had been nothing. Nothing at all. It was just her mind playing tricks on her. She was alone. Alone in this dark room. There was nothing here expect her, the vending machine and some beds. … Strange room when she thought about it. It seemed familiar trough. Grey dark walls, a bed to lay in and creepy creatures that weren't there. It was the secret true lab. Realising it she abruptly sat up. When she was here, then where was Frisk?

Trying to stand up her vision darkened abruptly and her sense of gravity faded away completely. Great plan, jumping up with anemia after having rested god knows how long.

  
  


Waking up yet another time was to the sight of a skull like machinery looming above her. She couldn't help but stare at it until she finally realised that she wasn't alone in the room. A cute looking mini dinosaur with yellow scales was there as well. Alphys was there. She was standing next to a small podium and rearranging some data. What was she doing? She … She had a theory to what the doctor was probably doing and she didn't like it. It would be better to ask. Still she was frozen in fear of what was going to happen next. She couldn't move and was about to panic.

"A-Alphys?"

The chubby creature jumped at the sound of her voice. Starteld out of her thoughts she starred at Yin. Surprise was written all over her face which quickly merged with an anxious sweating.

"Y-you're a-awake?"

Alphys studder did nothing to help against Yins panic. She had never before even considered to be afraid of the little otaku but right now in this situation she couldn't help it to be terrified. Couldn't help it at all. She knew that they where both afraid, She knew that they both would rather not be here, she knew that Alphys wasn't the only one to studder in this room. Especial when afraid or nervous.  She could already see the studder party that was going to unfold. She could already see herself die at the end of it. She couldn't help the paniced grin that was spreading over her face. She was going to die and Alphys was the one who was going to kill her. The scientists face turned into a shocked expression. Great, now she had scared the person to was going to kill her. Maybe… maybe s could speak herself out of this? She didn't want to use her broken voice. Petrified like it sometimes felt for her to speak. Regardless she had to try something.

"W-What are you d-..."

She didn't finish that sentence. Alphys had understood what she was going to ask.

The scientists eyes wandered back at the penal in from of her.

"I- uhm-"

The monster stammered.

"I-I'm sorry human but I have to d-do this."

Yin nodded carefully. It was as she had expected it. But there was one thing she had to know first.

"Is F-Frisk fine?"

Alphys looked back up at her in suprise.

"U-Uhm t-the o-other human? Y-Yes. … T-They're h-hanging out w-with Undyne a-and Papyrus r-right n-now."

Yin relaxed. At least they where alright. Her gaze was still directed at the scientist and for some minutes the two of them continued to silently stare at each other before Alphys returned to her screen. After some more minutes she seemed finished and instructed Yin to hold still.

"D-don't worry. It won't h-hurt much. … I d-din't e-expect f-for y-you to be a-awake d-during i-it. …But... You might f-feel d-dizzy a-afterwards."

Alphys warning confused Yin. Wasn't she about to get her soul extracted and die?

Alphys must have read her confusion on Yins face because her scales lost all colours.

"Y-you didn't expect me to kill you, did you?"

The following silence spoke for itself.

"I-I'm so s-sorry, h-human. I t-totally forgot t-to inform you w-what is g-going to h-happen to y-you, d-didn't I?"

Yin nodded and watched Alphys as she tried to sort her panic out.

"H-How c-could I f-forget s-such a b-basic r-rule. O-Of c-course y-you c-can't know w-what i-is g-going t-to h-happen. Y-You h-hadn't h-had b-basic s-soul knowledge i-in school I s-supose."

She looked questioning at Yin to which she shook her head. No, she had never learned anything about souls in school. …

Alphys begun to explain how the machinery and it's interaction with souls worked. Apparently it was originally designed to not only extract determination but a multitude of attributes that all together made a soul. In it all, it was possible to construct a artificially soul this way. By using a bunch of donators. About ten real ones for one artificial soul. Her plan had been it to extract a small amount of Yins soul to compare it with some monsters souls to see if it would be possible to build a mixture of human-monster essence, strong enough to break the barrier. Which was another point she proceeded to explain. As well as the fact that they, indeed already had 6 souls and only needed this last one. She would have used this method sooner if the machine had had worked correctly at that time. It apparently was defect since centuries. She had eventually been able to repair it and even that had only been possible by studying the souls they had received over the last few years. Only a fraction of it abilities functioning in most times. If any.

Yin listened with awe. This, this was new content. She considered the possibilities and, sure, she had questions but she didn't want to steer Alphys anxiety again by asking about the amalgamates. She seemed guilty enough about not having been able to save those previous humans.

 

After the procedure Yins head felt flocky. It hadn't gone without complications and she was sorry for Alphys having to clean the mess her bloody nose had left behind. It had started the instance the machine did. Startling both of them. But it hadn't been worrysome enough to risk stopping the procedure until Yin felt that she was about to pass out.

Alphys had to stop the machinery without results. Which was strange since she had been in there long enough to have at least some stats data. But nothing where is nothing to find. Yin suggested that, maybe she just didn't have a soul to wich Alphys reassured her that everyone did. Yin knew that that wasn't hundred percent right but decided to remain silent.

Now she was laying in Alphys bed proceeding to watch some anime that was available in the lab and eating enough ramen to regain some stamina.

It wasn't too long until Frisk appeared. They appeared to have extended their hangout while burning down houses to a snow fight in snowdin after they had called in on Alphys to getting the information that they needed a bit longer due to complications. They were worried, of course, and Yin did her best to reassure them everything would be alright. She just needed some rest. That's all. Nothing but some rest. She started the next episode and Frisk sat down beside her. They sat there, watching the show in silence, until Frisk eventually spoke up.

"Yin?"

Having difficulty to not drift into sleep while watching she only hummed them to continue.

"What is going on?"

Now she finally tore her eyes from the screen. Frisk was still sitting beside her, but they weren't watching the screen. Their gaze was fixated on her instead. She was wondering if they had been watching her this whole time. The thought made her uncomfortable.

"What's u- w-wrong?"

Frisk let out a tired sigh.

"Yin, what's wrong with you?" They asked in honest confusion. 

"You are the strangest acting person I ever met … and I'm saying that AFTER I met with Papyrus AND Undyne. The way you interact with people is weird. Like … like you try to hide that you already know them? You said you couldn't remember but you obviously know more then I do. You let me do the funny stuff meanwhile you're suffering. Don't give me that look! Your definitely not healthy. Not anymore."

Yin buried hey face into a pillow. They were right, she knew she should have gotten some more rest earlier. Still, she was more then uncomfortable about being pinned down in this theoretical corner. She remained silent for a while but Frisk still had questions burning on their tongue and wasn't about to drop them. Not again.

"Why are you ignoring what is happening to your body? Is it only for me so I can have a good time? You barely know me. What was Sans about to say when you interrupted him? Who's Chara?"

At Frisks last question they heard a shattering from the lower floor. Yin joked up from behind the pillow she had more or less used as a shelter. The both of them exchanged a worried look and Frisk went to spy over the ceiling to see what it had been.

"Alphys? Are you ok?"

They asked. A answer Yin couldn't understand was followed by Frisk question if the screen was broken and if they should help clean it up. This time Yin heard Alphys answer. It was a simple no. A studdered highly confused and paniced no. Frisk exchanged one last worried glance with Yin ace signalled that they would be right back before vanishing to the lower floor. They truly where a stubborn child.

Yin once again vanished behind her pillow and tougher with it under her blanked. She didn't want to answer this questions. She didn't want to think about her health state. Not about the buzzing in her ears. Not the headache she carried around. Not about her numb limps.

She closed her eyes. Listening to the sound of Japanese figures she couldn't understand and Frisks and Alphys muffled voices. Maybe it was time to wake up. This dream seemed to only be getting her into more blunders that where all more or less caused by herself. She shouldn't have tried to stay outside the story. She shouldn't have tried to interfere with it either. She just … wasn't a part of this. She had never been.

They were gone the next time she woke up. They hadn't wanted to wait for her. Not another time. Instead decided that it would be better to sort out the rest beforehand.

Alphys told her that they had talked. That she had convinced them that it would be for the best to leave their human companion behind to rest.

Yin agreed. She knew that they could find their way on their own. After all, frisk was a good and determined kid. They would just have to wait for their call and then everything would be sorted out, sooner or later. 

Watching Alphys operate with the cores traps Yin couldn't help but smirk a little. The yellow Dino still tired to uphold her act with Mettaton. Even trough there was another human with her right now she was fully concentrated on more or less helping the kid out there in the field. She really was patient in what she did.

"Where are they heading next?"

Yin asked from her spot on a movable pillow couch. Alphys didn't even look up from her monitor.

"A-Almost at t-the MTT resort."

That suprising her a bit. She hadn't expected them to already be this far. She got up and walked over to watch as well, to Alphys displeasure. This was the place where they would have the second meeting with Sans. She could only hope that he would go easy on them… that they would take easy what he had to say.

"Tell me a-again, human, what part of bedrest do you not u-understand?"

"The part where you aren't using my name even trough I told him to you."

Alphys huffed at that. Granted, her response had been a bit rude but Yin didn't feel comfortable about this meet up and somehow it annoyed her to be referred to as the other human. It had never felt right. She gave into her spinning head and sat down on the floor not addressing Alphys questioning look. At first, she admitted that she might have a spinning head and poor balance at the moment to wich the doctor ordered her back into bed or at least onto the couch, to wich she finally obeyed. Sitting down on one of the pillow couches once again. Granted, she didn't want to ignore the scientists orders, she just felt so utterly restless that she couldn't help it but to sneak back to the monitor minutes later. On the screen, Frisk was already halfway trough the core. Looking even more frightened then when Undyne had chased then. That, wasn't good. Apparently the date had went down badly. She let out a tired breath. Alphys rose a questioning brow at her.

"You s-seem worried, Yin. Something b-bothering you?"

"Despite them wandering around alone? … Yea … I'm afraid they might be to frightened to encounter Asgore. I mean, they are a strong and determined kid but… What am I thinking. I know that they will do it. They will free the underground and then ..."

Yin trailed off. Alphys watched her curious.

"Y-You s-seem p-pretty s-sure about this. D-don't worry I- I- d-decided go and warn t-them. T-Tell t-them t-the w-wole t-trut-th."

 

Alphys returned half an hour later. Yin had watched her tough the cameras. The scientist was using the now working elevators and skipped most of the way Frisk had done.

"You really did a thing on them. Making them walk up the all without the elevators."

Yin huffed distantly.

"I … well … I g-guess I d-did."

The little Dino admitted avoiding her eyes and slurring over to a pillowcouch. Slacking into it she let out an pained sign burrowing her face into her hands. Then she got back up and went over to her monitoring system. Yin was a bit concerned about that. They where on the path to the best end possible. Frisky would soon return to play matchmaker with Alphys and Undyne and then continue on to explore the true lab. They would all be freed in no time. Still, the monster couldn't know about that. The way Alphys glanced from one screen to another, scanning the whole underground, indicated an mentally upset state. Maybe Yin should try to help.

"Is something wrong, Alphys?"

She asked. Of course the little Dino jumped in surprise at hearing her voice.

"N-No… E-Everything i-is g-going f-fin-ne. … N-Not-t r-real-ly b-but … a-aren't y-you w-worried?"

Yin looked up at that. If course she was worried but she knew that everithing would turn out well so…

"No, I'm not that much worried. … W-Why?"

Why was Alphys so distressed?

The shocked state with wich Alphys addressed her made her feel even more anxious. The scientist returned to her screen shaking her head in disbelief and mumbling under her breath.

"I-I-I j-jus-st t-t-thoug-gt t-that-t y-y-you c-ca-ared f-for t-them-m. T-That's a-all."

Yin jumped up at that, just to lose her balance and fall back into the cushions.

"O-Of course I care for them! Why shouldn't I?"

She asked confused. Of course she cared for them. Of course she was worried about what they're where going to encounter. Of course she would rather have them follow a way that protected them from getting hurt. But, she knew that they were able to handle it. She knew that they wouldn't- couldn't die. She knew that they would be able to free the underground. That they would- had made great friends. And she knew that she, herself, was useless. What was there for her to help with?

She wasn't worth anything to the faith of the underground.

She felt her eyes blurring up. Tears starting to rise at something so stupid as hurt pride. She was worried. She was upset, more then anything else about herself. She wanted to help the kid but that wouldn't help anything. Even if she did she was most likely to destroy mir of the storyline. Like she already had. Why did she have to mess up everything? Why did they have to question her? Why couldn't she just wake up. Despite, the questions answer being clear to her she was afraid to accept. She was afraid of what could happen if she was wrong, of what would happen if she was right. She was simply afraid. What was going on with her? Why was she this upset?

She shut down. Curling up into herself to block out her surroundings. It wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth thinking about it. It wasn't worth thinking about an existence, such as herself, that didn't even matter. Why did she care this much?

Alphys had watched her. Had watched the whole cascade of emotions unfold quietly. Now she was standing beside her and layed a hand on to of Yins fluffy head.

"I-I'm s-sorry-"

"Don't be."

Yin interrupted her.

"I u-understand how I act and how I must a-appear. I just..."

Yin couldn't bring herself to say anything more. She didn't knew what she could say more. What was there left for her to do? After a short pause Alphys continued.

"I- W-Would y-you l-like t-to g-go a-after t-them?"

Yin looked up at her speechless. Of course she would like to, but she could barely hold herself upright and didn't want to be in the way yet another time.

"D-Don-n't w-worry. Y-you m-mig-ght n-not b-be a-able t-to d-do much b-but your p-presence c-could be o-of mental s-support a-an-nd m-mig-ght a-alr-ready h-help."

She starred at the comforting Dino. She didn't like the risk to disrupt anything again but at the same time…

"You're right. I can't let them go trough this on their own … Even when I know that everything will turn out alright... I-I just … Sorry for lashing out."

Alphys signed and helped her get up. On her way to the elevator she handed Yin a small bottle filled with a dim glowing liquid with the order to only drink it when she absolutely needed to. She explained that it should be harmless for humans and might help her stamina, but that she couldn't be sure without having tested it first.

Waiting for the elevator to arrive Yin couldn't help but ask.

"Why are you helping me? … with the e-elevator and this"

She pointed at the liquid.

"B-Because I-I owe it to y-you. T-The e-experiment i-it s-shouldn-n't h-have gone w-w-wrong. W-We a-arw l-lucky n-n-nothing w-worse h-hap-p-pened…"

Yin studied the small bottle within her hand. The dimly glooming frosty liquid within it. She couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes from it. It was creeping her out. Was it extracted determination or … something else. She didn't want to know the answer. Either way she wouldn't dare to drink it.

Her thoughts went back to reality and she realised that she hadn't responded to her surroundings. She quickly put the small glass container into her pants pocket, nodded to Alphys and stepped into the elevator. 

As soon as the doors where closed she lowered her sore body into a sitting position on the chilling floor. She felt sick. What was she doing here? Following a child that was better of without here? One she barely knew? For what? To tell them to watch out for an unavoidable force? To get herself into the way of everything once again? Carrying with her a broken body that needed rest and a bottle of something she could only hope to not be the life source of a long rotting corpse. Yin snapped up. Why was she thinking these thoughts.

Arriving at her station she left the cool, metal walls of the lift behind her and walked past new home to what she knew was to be the golden Hallway. The city beside her was wonderful illuminated in an late afternoon light that was filling some rare parts of the caverns. It was flushing in trough gaps within the mountains walls.

How haven't the people outside noticed this underground by now? Through these multitude of gaps at least one hiker had to have figured out a more interesting inside of the mountain eventually. Like a crystal. The outside dark and gray but the inside filled with wonder. Rare and never to be found. She shook off this ridiculous thoughts. They had nothing to do with why she was here.

Entering the Hallway there was even more light. She had known to expect it but didn't expect her body to appreciate the warm glow from a sun this much. It really was a essential thing for living. To have warmth and light. She walked down the hall. Trying to seek out a figure within the shadows but she couldn't see them. Neither did she see the judge. They must have passed him already. Which only meant that she was late. She would have to hurry or wait for them to come back and do the rest.

She decided that waiting was the would be another bad decision after already having let them alone this long.

She started to hurry. Trying to pease her speed but also not wanting to let them wait a second longer. What if they were hurt? What if they were already fighting him? What if they had left?

A voice in the shadows disrupted her thoughts and made her tumble over her own feed. Hitting the ground hard she could hear glass shader and felt something chilly cut into her leg. Laying face first on the ground she considered how acid or basic determination would be. Probably somewhere around 7 on the scale when you where able to drink it … if it actually was fluent determination that was leaking into her pants.

She listened to shuffled steps approaching her.

"hey human. So suprised to see me that you have already fallen for me? … holly crap did you just wet yourself‽"

She couldn't help but smirk at that. She was just the definition of grace.

"Sorry to disappoint you but no. It is some medicine Alphys gave me to keep up my agility."

She explained while sitting up. Looking at the shared glass darting trough the fabric she watched the remaining liquid slowly but steadily steamed into a small wound cut into her leg. It was disturbing and fascinating at the same time. Sans also starred at it.

"what is this stuff?"

"I-I don't know."

He rose a questioning brow at her but she just shook her head in silent shock.

"well, I guess you are telling the truth this time."

Looking up at him in alarm it was notable that his sockets where empty.

"Did- Did someth-thing go wrong?"

There was a dark chuckle echoing tough the corridor as Sans didn't care to answer her question. He stared down at her. Stared her into the ground.

"can you bring us back?"

"B-back? B-Bring y-you b-back? W-why? Wh-what happened?"

Which ending did they choose?

"oh, don't pretend you don't know. you said it yourself. you knew what was going to happen. you knew that this was going to happen."

"I-I… Yes-No… I-... I-I k-know poss-sib-bilities, b-but n-not- … W-What h-hapened?"

She was afraid.

"oh, don't pretend as if you didn't know. As if you didn't knew that Asgore would get killed by them."

Her breth stopped. Of course, it was the unavoidable result in almost all the runs but there was still a fight, still a choice, still something to change, to make better. They had had the power to avoid a death. Had she denied the truth? Denied that Frisk was capable of murder? Apparently she did. But how? How many times had they have to die do give up? They seemed like a decent kid, not willing to hurt others. What must happened to make them snap?... How often must someone die to snap?

"What a-about the flower?"

Sans rose an not existing brown at that.

"the weed? why is that important? are you worried about your little friend?"

"I didn't-"

No, she wouldn't describe Flowey as not a friend. He was… he only was a kid that had suffered isolation for a far too long time. She wouldn't deny him friendship before he even got a chance. She hadn't had to answer this.

"no answer? heh, and I thought we could be friends. looks like I was wrong with you humans for a second time today."

Guilt. It was radiating trough her. She couldn't do anything about it. She shouldn't do anything about it. He was right by hating her. She just didn't knew what to do with this feeling. She had never known. It wasn't helpful in this moment. What was there left to change? What was there left she could say? Was there even anything left for her to do? Why wasn't he judging her like he was supposed to?

"Why- … Why aren't you judging me?"

Silence. Absolute deafening silence.

"we both already know the answer to this."

His hateful tone was to much. She broke down.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I-I'm s-so s-sorry. I d-didn-n't s-stop t-them. I- I d-didn't… I-I'm s-so s-s-sorry."

"it's too late, human, it's over. they are gone. ... now, we can only go back to before they did."

She couldn't go back. She couldn't undo what they had done. It wasn't in her pover. Not anymore. It wasn't in her power to bring Asgore back. It wasn't in her power to correct what had gone wrong. It wasn't in her power to set them free. It was over.

She quivered. Feeling more sick then she had done trough the whole journey.

Once more she wished to finally wake up.

"yin, please, bring us back."

His voice was desperate. Not angry anymore, not sad just… just desperate. This wasn't one of the bad neutral endings in contrary, there where way worse possibilities. But that wasn't a reason to accept this outcome. They still lost their only hope. Because of her. Because of ...

“ -don't call me that! Don't ask me to do that! T-This i-isn't e-even my name! I'm n-not able to do anything! I'm not able to bring y-you back! I'm useless! My name is an place holder. I AM a place holder. … I'm nothing. I'm a-a glitch. I'm the reason it went wrong. This world doesn't need me! I can't fix this! I- I- … I could have done something but I-I'm not the savour you so waited for. They left and I- I-"

She felt quiet. What was she even doing here?

"I'm no one."

She repeated. Not get body but her mind felt numb. She didn't want to continue.

"yea, but at least you weren't the one who killed asgore."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Her voice was filled with more sarcasm then she felt and she knew that Sans had heard it. The uneasy silence followed by his cold voice.

"no. it's merely a fact."

Something shifted at the edge of Yins vision and veggie she could process it a lid voice echoed trough the hallway.

"Asgore is dead?!?"

The voice demanded to know. Turning Yin saw Undyne. Frozen in her steps. Glaring at the human who just announced something horrible.

"What are you talking about, human. Where is the smal one?"

The warrior growled.

It was the first time that Yin really saw her. Not in amor, not hidden in the shadows, but in clear sunlight. Starring her do into the ground. All Yin could do was to stare back into her hateful flaring eye. The air was filled in an crisp, icy silence.

"U-Undyne?"

Yin could help her voice, it broke.

"Yes, that is my name, human. Now, what happened to Asgore? Where is your smal friend?"

Yin had a feeling, that Undyne didn't really wanted an answer. Neither that she really needed one. Her eye spoke more about punishment then curiosity.

"Now, where is he?"

The warrior growled once more.

"He- He is-"

Yin swallowed, trying her best to get the knot out of her throat.

"He's gone."

She finally whispered and if Undynes face was stone before it now turned into iron.

"And the souls? Are they gone as well, human?"

She asked in an hollow stern voice. Yin didn't even manage to nod before angry steps echoed trough the corridor and she was lifted off the ground by her throat.

"Well then, human, I'm afraid you have to repay us."

Undyne growled into her ear. Then something fiery erupted within Yins chest. Something clinching, sticky, tearing apart and refusing. She gasped for air but nothing came in trough the warriors grip. Her ears where filled with the sound of her own blood and drowning static. This deafening agonizing static blending out everything else. The ripping feeling within her chest grew stronger and stronger. As if someone removed a part of her body by pure force. Her face was wet and she knew that her nose was bleeding again. So was her mouth. She could see confusion as well as disgusted horror spread over Undynes face. Still the warrior didn't stop. Holding her up by her throat and doing whatever it was she did. Killing her.

Yin realised that it must be her soul the warrior aimed for.  Tried to get a hold on. Tried to force out. Repay the lost of the souls with the only thing a human had to offer, a strong soul. 

But, even this was something she couldn't give them. Whatever it was that made her soul refuse to appear and caused her nose to bleed, Undyne was fighting against it with everything the warrior had.

It was ridiculous. She was a waste of time. She couldn't help them in any way. Not alive, neither death. She was literally a waste of space. Her soul wouldn't be enough to repay them. Her death wouldn't repair the backlash they had suffered. Her existence was a failure. What was she doing here? What was she doing?

She could feel a paniced grin spreading over her face and on top of that her eyes started to tear up. This was the end. It was finally over.

The treating feeling in her body reached its peak and with a last flare of static she felt empty.

Something was leaving her body.

She was leaving something.

Her thoughts crumbled into each other.

Her mind refused into itself.

She was nothing of matter.

Matter was nothing of her.

Still she could feel a firm grip closing around her. To bad just that her form didn't last. The sticky sensation wasn't enough to hold it together. She grumbled, dissolved, vanished. The world around her spinning with colours she couldn't see. The magic around her buzzing in ways she never noticed before and the static filling her core, but not her essence.

She could feel the world around her. The mountain, the air, the people living within it. 

A wave of shock radiating from what had to be the hallway, excited flickering from somewhere in snowdin, worried doubt from a pulsing within the core and so much more.

Then something catched the attention of whatever she was. A sticky sensation that resonated with what had failed her. It pulled her close. Closer and closer to somewhere down there. Something born out of this. A being completely made of this sensation. She couldn't escape. She wouldn't escape. What was happening was to unknown to her to take a saying in it.

Whatever happened, it was no longer hers to decide.

  
  



	4. 2.Rotting: Awakening | True lab

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The part where the author gets annoyed with his character always passing out.

It was dark.

It was dark and her head hurt.

Great. Even now that she was finally dead she still had to deal with a head ace? Couldn't her life become any better? Embarrassing herself, being a freaking weirdo and eventually dying within a world that literally was a game. Great! What next? 

Well, after what she could tell from her current situation it seemed like being dead was a false alarm. Maybe just an exaggeration.

Slowly she opened her eyes. Causing the aching within her skull to intensify. Her vision was greeted by nothing but darkness. Bright light would probably have caused her head to explode in pain but it would at least have indicated where she was. But as it was now she had no idea where she was she how she got here.

Her thoughts where accompanied by a low pulsing pain in her skull. All this darkness, maybe she was already buried in a coffin. She hoped that this was not the case. Being dead would be a better option then that.

Studying her surroundings she could see dimm light peering trough what seemed to be a crack in a wall a bit further ahead from where she was. That … didn't exactly look like what she had imagined the afterlife like. She tried to move towards it but she couldn't really move her limbs. At least not how she remembered they should. Everything felt weird and her legs where wiggling in a strange way. Were the heck was she? What the heck was this? 

She tried to reach for her legs to see what was wrong but there where non.

Her mind stopped. She didn't knew in way condition her body was. She didn't knew what she should do without her usual body. She didn't knew where or when she was. Neither did she knew how she got here.

Panic started to build up.

She didn't like this. 

She didn't like this at all.

At least she wasn't dying anymore… right?

But if she wasn't dying and neither dead, then where and what was she right now?

"What is going on?"

She asked the dark silence in upbuilding panic. Her voice cracking, wavering and unfamiliar to herself..

"How am I supposed to know that?"

Something answered her. She jumped not expecting one. She hadn't had seen anyone else and it scared her. It scared her to get an answer when she thought she was alone and it scared her even more when she realised that the mouth that has a to her was her own. There was someone else there. Someone else within her body.

"Who the heck was that? W-What a-are you doing my head?"

She demanded to know, fully aware of her high, scared voice and unable to care for manners in her paniced state.

"Good question. Do you mind if I return it? What are YOU doing within MY head?"

That… That was the flowers voice. This wasn't her body, was it? Had she ended up within Asriels vessel? How? When?

She was silent while trying to wrap her mind around the abstruse situation she has found herself in until her angry companion lost his paition.

"Hey human! You can't simply get in here without an explanation. And don't you dare to ignore me. We are in this together and believe me; I wished we weren't. So better speak or get your ghostly butt somewhere else."

"I'm sorry but I don't know either?! I- … The last thing I can remember is this immense pain followed by a total blackout. I think Undyne tried to summon my s-soul or something. H-How am I supposed to know what happened? I- I haven't- I have no idea what's going on either! Ok?"

Yin listened into the silence until she could feel a chuckling error within her vessel that rapidly was followed by the flowers laughting. Sharing a vessel was more then just weird. It was creeping her out.

"Oh golly! You foolish human! She killed you! She took your soul and what you are now is just the unwanted rest that was left behind even by your soul. You are nothing. Just a pittiful, pittiful dead human."

"No shit Sherlock. Who would have thought that I died after THAT. Yes. I died, but I didn't? Did I? I mean… what is going on now? How did I end up here? Why am I stuck with you?"

The flower feel silent for a minute before changing into a more mocking tone. 

"Why are you stuck with me? Interesting, once you where alive your attitude wasn't as rude as it is now. At least not to this extend. Did Undyne take all of your nice attitudes. Is all that I get the rotten rest of what isn't even a real soul? Or are you just panicking?"

She huffed frustrated. Yes, she was panicking but t wouldn't help either of them.. How was she supposed to work something out if the flower was only interested in mocking her? She had to do something about this. She couldn't stay like this!

"So are you just going to ignore the fact that we're stuck in this body together? We need to find a way to get along with each other, Flowey."

The repulsive wave radiating from the flower was unexpected. More so because she hadn't expected to feel it. But, hadn't he said something similar just moments before? 

"Oh no! Forget it, human! I'm gonna kick you out of here as soon as I figure out how. A human of all thinngs infiltrating my vessel? Sharing it? Forget it! You have to leave as soon as possible!"

She hadn't had a problem with this plan. The faster each of them returned to what their original body was, the better.

"Maybe Alphys knows something… Do you think it would be possible that I get back into my own body?"

She asked hopefully but to her distress the flower in her head just started laughting again.

"Back? In that broken thing of a body? You are hallucinating human! How do you expect that to work after three days and all the damage you did to it?"

"Three days?!? I have been dead for three days?!"

She interrupted him, panic flaring up.

"Yep, pretty dead from what I could tell. Pittiful, pittiful human. Ask dead and rotting."

The flower just wouldn't stop laughting and teasing her about her uprising panick. 

"What- Where- where is it? Where is my body?"

Her throat went dry asking this. She knew that every attempt was domed to fail, but still. She couldn't remain like this. Not in the flowers body. She had to get back! She had to get back into her body! No matter what!

"Why do you expect me to know that?"

The flower asked her in this mocking voice that was starting to infuriate her.

"You saw it! You watch everithing slightly interesting that's going on down here. Where is it?"

She urged. Panic and despair starring to merge into a stressful mess within what would have been her stomach.

"Well, not everything, poor human, but the most of it for sure. You need to set priorities when things happen simultaneously, don't cha?"

This question felt like a test and it probably was one. She didn't have time for this but the flowers calm posture and absence of this mocking tone made this slurred content it important.

"... Not when you can rewind it."

The flower was delighted about her response. It seemed to have been the right choice.

"Correctly, human! Can you also tell me how of all things that can happen?"

He was testing her, wasn't he?

"I'm… Not completely sure. The most determined being within the underground is in possession of this ability as far as I know."

The flowers delight slightly faded to make place for a more sinister, curious sensation.

"Interesting, you statet you didn't knew much about souls but you seen to know something about determination. How comes so?"

 

\---

 

They entered Alphys lab trough a loose tile. Silent like a snake the still upset flower lead their vessel trough the dark lab.

"I can't belive you actually belive the shit you told me"

The dead Prince mumbled for the hundredst time since they started their expedition.

"And I told you that I'm telling the truth. This world isn't real."

"Oh! But you are!?"

"I'm- … not? Maybe? I don't know myself anymore! How am I supposed to know anything when I don't even know how the heck I ended up here?! And do you really want to start this debate again, Azzy?"

The flower stopped dead in its tracks.

"Don't you dare calling me this, human."

He hissed.

"The Prince is dead and so are you. We shouldn't exist."

The flower started in a death threatening voice before continuing to move through the dark hallways.

"Yes, yes, we talked about that. Just... let's concentrate on finding my body, ok?"

The flower sighed and did as asked recusant.

"You know, I could just kick you out and let whatever you are right now die."

"We both know that you would have done that by now if you knew how..."

Yin responded harshly, hoping it was the truth.

"It's a pity you aren't simply a soul like you should be."

She could feel the flower getting even more annoyed.

It bothered her, a bit, but what could she do? Neither of them wanted this.

Entering the next room they where suddenly encountering the scientist. Alphys looked nervously down at them while holding a open bag of dog food over an half filled bowl, frozen in her task starting down at them. The flowers first instinct was to run but Yin urged their vessel to stay do he couldn't leave either. This was the possibility to gain information and cut this seemingly endless search short.

Flowey refused to speak with the scientist. Why did he have to sulk now? She couldn't pretend to be him and Alphys knew about Flowey so she would know something was of.

Anyways, Yin didn't want to waste any more time so she had to speak.

"Uhm… Hi?"

She started. Not anywhere her best conversation breaker but she didn't know how to start this conversation either.

Alphys just started down at them, clinching to the bag of dog food like it could save her from this situation. It felt like a small enernity before the scientist finally responded in a unsecure, wavering voice.

"Y-you g-g-guys k-know t-that t-these ha-hallways a-are e-echoing p-pret-tty w-well…?"

A shiver run down their equivalent of a spine.

"W-What do you try to hint at?"

Yin asked warily.

"Our conversation you idiot!"

Flowery almost shouted in an angrily annoyed tone. Alphys did nothing but nod. Not once removing her gaze from them.

"So, are you gonna help us out do we have to kill you first?"

Flowery asked the scientist, impatient. Already sick of Yins attempt of a conversation.

Yin had never before seen someone lose all of his colour this quickly about being asked something. The thread might have been helping with that.

Eventually Alphys agreed and leaded them trough some other rooms into a well hidden chamber. Stammering apologises under her breath and shivering more then actually walking. Guilt was right about radiating from her body. Making Yin feel bad for her and Flowey satisfied with his impact.

"Y-your b-b-bod-ddy sh-shoul-ld b-be i-in here I-I'm s-sor-rry I-I c-coul-ldn't d-do a-anyt-thing-"

"It's ok, Alphys. You tried your best."

"Hah! Yea, but your best want good enough to save even a single soul!"

The flower teased. 

"Flowey!?!"

Yin interrupted him. Yes she knew he hated her but this was cruel to say and wouldn't help them in the least.

The lizard seemed like she was about to cry when she opened a drawer to reveal her body.

"I-I-I c-c-coul-ldn't f-find what h-had been ca-ausing a-all of t-this. I'm still l-looking t-trough it … I'm s-sorry Yin."

They looked down at her body. It still wasn't closed after what could only have been an autopsie. It was obvious that there was still work to do.

"I think I'm gonna puke."

Flowey commented.

"Well thank you very much. It is still my goal to get it back."

Yin snapped. The picture of her dead body lying here right in front of her was more then just a little unnerving.

Nobody should be able to see their own guts like this.

"What?!? Are you brain dead human? Going back into this? You will just die again!"

"Well, as you can see here I am brain dead, Flowey! And yes! I'm going to try it regardless! Why would you care?!"

"Why would I care? Because, if something goes wrong we can't know what effect it will have on me."

"You do not worry. I will be the only one affected and you will have this flower vessel back to your own, promised."

"As if I could trust the word of a human."

"I know that you don't trust me but please, let me try this, it might be our only chance."

Yin pleaded. Why couldn't he understand? This might be their only way to get back to normal.

"I still don't know why you are convinced this will work in the first place but sure, knock yourself of. But stop using my mouth to speak this pittiful pleadings, it's a shame, really."

Yin nodded. Seeing in what condition her body was and knowing what she had to do made her want to quit as well but … what else was there to do? She needed to get back. She needed her body back. Her arms and legs. Now. She couldn't live like she was now and he didn't want to stay like this either. She looked up to the scientist who tensed up under her attention.

"L-Let m-me just s-stich I-it u-up f-first."

Alphys quickly requested. He voice filled with apologize and horror.

"Yea, sure. Don't wanna fall apart like this, don't wa?"

The flower mocked.

Yin nodded silently.

She felt ill about what she had decided to do but the urge to return home was to strong.

 

\---

 

It had become late when Alphys told them she had fixed the body so far that it could hypothetically be used again.

Hypothetically as in, there is no way this is actually going to work expect on the paper.

The lizard had started working almost immedially and managed to fix her within day.

Yin thanked Alphys but she scoffed it off. To scared of what had happened so far and what would happen next. The flower on the other hand hadn't missed one opportunity to mock them and calling them foolish for what they did. But for the most part he had just silently waited with Yin, watching some anime to pass time. He hadn't really had had a choice about this but Yin still appreciated another beings presence. 

They followed Alphys into the operation room where the body layed. It was clothed in a plain white operation dress and connected to a multitude of wires, tubes and monitors it looked like a scene straight out of a futuristic thriller. A dim green glow was almost layering the whole corpse, probably healing what couldn't be healed by surgery. Or at least an attempting to heal it. They couldn't know if it would work and Yin thought she knew how risky it was. She also knew that alphys had infused her body with a lot of determination, the source that kept humans going, keeps them alive. They just hoped that it would help not certain about it at all. She wasn't sure what they would have done without the doctor.

Hopefully the same ... just … probably not so clean.

She needed to remind herself to thank the doctor when all of this was over.

They climbed up to the corpses head and Yin once again started into her own dead face.

"A-Are y-you sure t-this i-is going to w-work, Yin?"

Alphys asked, standing beside them at the bar her body layed on.

"I'm… I have no idea but also no other option."

Yin replied. This wasn't the full truth. There still was the option to stay like it was and maybe they would find another way later on but… This still want her body. It was Asriels new home. She had to get back into her own one and let him in peace. She couldn't back out now.

Like on clue to her thoughts the flower cheaped in.

"Well, as long as you finally let me in peace after this I don't care."

Yin nodded reassuring then and herself to do it. She inspected her old self one last time and explained what she thought to do, like she had done before to Alphys.

"Listen, Flowey, I know that you hate this but right now I need your help. For the last time. I promise. You see, I somehow are connected to your vessel or to you. Either way I doubt that it hasn't anything to do with magic. What I need you to do is to find what has changed since the day I died and force it out of this vessel and back into my body. I don't have any idea how magic works but I'm certain that something has to work."

"Okey dokey. As long as I'm getting rid of you; everything is welcomed."

To her suprised the flower seemed okay with her plan. Well, why shouldn't he, it seemed safe as far as it was concerning him. They concrated. The flower on her and she on her body. The feeling of something sticky within her easing up was almost the opposite of what she felt with Undyne. Almost. It still ripped her appart. It still made her dizzy and draining but it was without her resistance and with less pain. It worked, didn't it?

She was aware of Alphys standing beside them. Watching closely and always ready to interfere if something happened. But that wasn't important now. What was important now was to return to her body. To return home.

She had the urge to touch it. To touch her own skin. To feel where she had to go to and for the first time since awakening in this vessel she moved it completely without the flowers consent. But also without its residence. She hugged her own neck by using the flowers vines. It was scarringly cold and damp. Her instinct where rebelling against whatever she did but by then it was to late. The vessels temperature adapted to her body's while her insides felt like boiling. 

She could feel Flowey scream within their mind but their vessel remained silent. It occurred to her that she had been in some kind of trance since the whole procedure begun and just as she was about to finally snap out of it she was gone. Like all the other times before. But cooler. Almost frozen. But also burning in pain.

 

\---

 

Awakening was… Weird. She knew what had happened. She remembered everything but she couldn't recall it. It was like a faded memory. Like how you know that you learned how to speak way back when you where young but you cant remember it.

She sat up looking around for Alphys. The doctor was nowhere to be seen wich was unsettling because her body definitely didn't feel right. She needed help. Someone to reassure her that it would be right. Her arms and legs felt numb and the smallest movement send out waves of this cribbling feeling that occurred when body parts where asleep. To low be pressure. The small movement of sitting up made her vision get black and her head spin. She had to get her heartbeat up and probably more iron into her blood to get this symptoms away but at the same time she was afraid even the smallest pressure could cause it to crash back into itself. She felt dry and cold.

But her plan had succeeded. She was back within her own body. Her ridiculous plan had succeeded! 

A wave of relieve washed over her, drowning her into a mixture of positive emotions. At least one thing had worked out accordingly.

Her eyes started burning and after some confusion she saw tears falling from her face into the thin blanked covering her waistdown.. Was she crying? Apparently.

Her breath hitched and she sat there, crying in relive and waiting for someone to find her. 

Alphys found her some time later. Rushing over as soon as she saw that Yin was awake.

"H-How a-are you f-feeling, Yin?"

The human looked up at the question. Face stained from tears but with a happy smile. She hugged the small scientist to which Alphys yelped in suprise catching the fragile human before she could lose balance and calming stroking over Yins back.

"I-I'm … thank you so much Alphys! … without you… I don't know if this could have worked. I- … I'm terrible sorry for what has happened I-... I'm feeling alright. M-my body still feels weird … numb ... but I guess t-that was to b-be expected…"

Yins words faded out. Speaking hurts, moving hurts and every word came out more as a whisper then anything. But she was back. It would be alright.

 

Alphys said nothing at first. Yes, Yins plan had succeeded. Somehow. But… not to hundred percent like the human still belived. Alphys should probably tell her before she found out herself but she was missing the right words so she restrained herself to just holding the sobbing human. Waiting for Yin to calm down so they could proceed to discuss what to do now.

 

Yin noticed the scientist silence after a while. It felt unusual but she didn't knew the scientist long enough to judge this kind of things. Still…

"Alphys?"

She whispered.

The dinosaur flinched slightly. This was a signal for her that something most likely wasn't alright. She let go and say back onto the bed. 

"Are you in a hurry?"

Yin asked. There was probably a lot to do now after there was a change in the monarchy. But Alphys shook her head.

"N-No I-I got time… A-At least for now. We need to check your condition and vitals. … Do you wish m-more time before we do that?"

Alphys asked but now it was Yins turn to carefully shake her head. 

"I-I'm alright we can do it now o-or whenever you got the time."

Yin would have been ok without the checks as well. Her major concern was it to get out of Alphys's hair as soon as possible. The little Dino monster probably had enough on her mind as it was.

 

Alphys was glad that they could do it right then. She wasn't sure how long she could still be a scientist under Toriel. There where a lot of changes approaching her and the whole of the underground.

She agreed to make the checkups with Yin in then minutes. By then she would have prepared everything and hopefully found Yins file in her current stack of work related papers.

 

Yin watched Alphys leave the room. Waiting ten more minutes didn't sound too bad now that she knew she wasn't alone down here and she would have a short amount of time to gather up her senses. Scratching her neck in thought, she felt something laying around it. That was… Unusual. She couldn't make out what it was, her fingers still to numb for that, but the way it was wrapped around her neck made it appear like a robe. Like vines. Was it vessel she had used to wrap around her body's neck.

Was Flowey still there? Why hadn't he left the moment she was gone like he had urged to do? If it was him why hasn't he spoken up yet?

"Uhm… Alphys?"

She asked to which the doctor returned with a small hum.

"Do you… Do you know where Flowey went?"

Yin watched Alphys lose grip of the folder she had been carrying. It slipped her attempts of catching it a few times before eventually chattering onto the floor. 

"I- I-..."

Alphys studdered, picking up the papers and walking over to Yin.

"D-don't p-panic, please. We a-aren't s-sure h-how it happened but it seems like h-his v-vessel connected to your spine? We couldn't knew how far it influenced you or your body's functions so we restained from sepperating it, for now."

That was… quite something. Yin could only stare at the dinosaur while her mind begun to process what she had just been told. So, the flower was attached to her spine? How? And they couldn't tell if it was safe to be removed? Who where 'we'?

"We?"

Was the only thing she could ask at the moment.

"Yes 'we', dump head."

A voice right behind her ear replied and a shiver run down her spine when something moved trough her hair.

"What do you expect me to do when I'm suddenly connected to your corpse? Sleep? Die? Sorry to disappoint you human but you aren't going to get rid of me this easily. I tried to get Alphys to cut me free but apparently that could damage not only you but also my roots."

"F-Flowey?"

She asked confused. This wasn't anything she had expected.

A yellow flower head moved into her field of vision. The shifting at the back of her skull and neck ever so present as it made its way.

"Present, unfortunately."

The flower grimaced and despite being freaked out her tired mind couldn't restrain itself from making the connection to an anglerfish. She must be looking like a anglerfish in this moment with Flowey dangling in front of her face.

They could hear a nervous chuckle from Alphys, had she made a similar comparison? The flowers head turned and both of them where starring at the scientist now.

"Got anything to say?"

Her lightbulb asked. To wich Alphys giggling died in shock just to be replaced by frankly apologises.

Yin smiled at Alphys.

"It's ok, Alph. We must look silly."

"If course we do! We look hilarious, weird, like a freak! We are a freak! We're almost as bad as the amalgamations! And YOU, Yin, you promised to be free at the end of this!"

The flower ranted and Yin got eaten up by guilt.

"This… I'm sorry for dragging you into this situation…"

Yin apologized quietly.

"Oh! You damn sure should be sorry, human! You promised me to be freed from you at the end of this and now I'm stuck to this useless meatball known as your dead body! What do you have in mind to do now, human?! Continue rotting? How do you plan on fixing this!?"

That stung. She hadn't planned on disappointing him. Heck, she hadn't planned of dying in the first place. Still, she couldn't have been as sure her plan would work out like she had pretended to be. Give our give not adrenaline the fault for her irresponsible actions, in the end, she had acted without thinking.

"How about… How about you just let go of my neck?"

She suggested hesitantly.

The flowers head turned towards her with an 'Are you serious?' expression before taking a deep sigh.

"How couldn't I think of that, human? What a mastermind to think of such an complex solution! Don't you agree with me, Alphys, we are dealing with a real genius here."

The flower exclaimed sarcastically.

"I-I t-think w-we a-already t-tr-tried i-i-it?"

The scientist replied wavering.

"No shit Sherlock. Now let's try something useful."

 

\---

 

"How about we drain the determination from our body?"

Flowey suggested.

"Again?"

Alphys asked doupfully.

"Yes. All of it."

"That would kill both of us."

Yin exclaimed tiredly. She patted the flowers head, trying to comfort the desperate prince. It wasn't a suprise that her hand go bitten seconds later.

"Don't touch me!"

It has been eight days since they started trying to sepperate them and they had watched Flowey steadily grow more desperate as time moved on. They had managed to break the determination extractor and nearly been killed in most of Floweys attempts of sepperations.

"This idea is worse then the cutter."

Alphys stated while cleaning the empty flower vessels away. Yin watched her. It had been the fourth time they had tried to move Floweys conscious instead of sepperating their bodies.

"Ok, time for your check up."

Yin nodded and entered another room with the doctor while the flower concentrated on frustrated grumbling.

They started like they always had done these past days by checking her chest with a stereoscope and blood pressure. Both where concerning low but present.

"Can you feel this?"

Yin looked down at the needle in her left foot.

"Nope. Still nothing. Sorry Al. It's all stiff and I can't really feel anything when I'm moving. It's difficulty but I'm getting better at it."

"That's … O-ok, I-I guess … . Like I said before; we can't know if your body will ever truly a-accept your… essence back."

Yin nodded and they proceeded to check here eyes.

"No reflex to light … .  Are you still unable to set focus?"

The doctor asked setting her small flashlight down.

"All still blurry as heck and, outch, the light also still hurts like hell."

"Langue steadily declining."

Alphys added and took notes. The flower chuckled.

"At least I'm having some good influence here."

"Shut up plant."

The flower let out another lought and Alphys couldn't resist a smirk.

"But despite everything. The s-scans show a slow adaption of body and soul. Yin, your plan worked! ...S-Somehow."

"Really?"

The flower and Yin asked in unison.

Alphys chuckled before responding.

"Yes, really. I don't exactly know why but it is w-working. I-If it continues line this we could even set you of the infusion and t-try food. It will take y-you a while to get back to it and even longer for your body to process but we could try i-it. Let's s-say next week latest."

Yin was excited. This where some really good news for once. It didn't really matter to her that they didn't exactly knew how it worked. If her plan worked once she could help Flowey as well, probably. 

But the flower wasn't that confidential and noticed the detail that slipped Yins attention.

"Not exactly? So you are having a hunch of what could be happening?"

The flower asked to which the doctor looked nervously.

"W-Well, i-it's n-not exactly a h-hunch. I-It's …. M-More o-of a g-guess, I g-guess. H-heh. Uhm… I w-will k-know m-more a-after I a-analysed t-this t-tests. I-I w-will k-know more tomorrow. P-Promise. I-I w-will t-tell y-you a-about I-it t-then."

The flower glared at Alphys, ready to dig deeper. But honestly, getting the same thesis twice wouldn't be useful and getting a wrong one would be misleading so he let it slide and focused on getting other information it of her. But her extreme nervousness was suspicious.

"So, how are things going up there?"

Flowey asked while Alphys finished Yins checkup.

"Oh uhm… after the Queen returned we are literally inmidst of a whole R-Revolution of our human defending system. She just declared this morning that dangerous and especially deadly traps will be classified as illegal property, starting by next month. She literally gave us one m-month to completely renovate the core. One month!"

"Wow. Mom really doesn't waste any time."

All of them jolted at Floweys interjection. The air was prettifying as two of three where watching the third realise what he just had said.

"Maybe we should just give up and let the magma free our pathetic minds from this vessel."

Flowery suggested in a flat tone.

"Maybe not."

Yin replied.

"Let's just get some rest for today. You probably had a difficult day as well, Alphys."

Yin suggested while Flowey curled up around her neck and hid his head between her hair and her hood, his default position when he wished to be somewhere else. 

"Y-Yes. Let's get y-you s-some rest."

 

\---

 

Getting to bed was easy. Despite being dead, sleep was not disappointing her. Thinking about it, she wasn't really any more or less sleepy over the day but as soon as she layed down her mind begun to fade.

Probably something she should address next time she saw the scientist. Which would only be in a cupple of hours. Sighing she let herself drift off only to be awoken after what seemed to have only been seconds. She opened her eyes and starred in the usual darkness of the lab, trying to figure out what had woken her up. 

Without Windows there was no way to tell how late it was down here.

"Are you awake human?"

"Flowey?"

"No, It's Fubuku, I was searching for Grillby. Have you seen him? …If course it's me you idiot, who else do you expect down here?"

Great, sarcastic flower in the morning. She couldn't imagine anything better.

"I dunno, Alphys?"

She sat up curious to why and how she had been woken up.

"At this hour?"

"Sorry Flowey but I can't know how late it is. There is no light to orientate not to speak of a clock."

"Oh, right. I forgot your humans are to stupid to tell time without help. Well it is 3:30 am and we got stuff to do."

"Not just humans can't always know the time. Just you overly bored maniac."

She muttered under her breath before continuing in a normal,  curious voice.

"Where do you want us to go, Flowey?"

"You will see. Now, let us finally get going."

The flower urged her. Why did he insist on doing it now? Why couldn't it wait.

They lurked trough the darkness until they finally reached the room the flower desired and switched it's light on.

She was standing in front of the extractor.

"Seriously? Again? I mean. I know that you want to get rid of me as soon as possible but does it have to be at night? In secret?"

She asked in a most voice not looking forward to what was going to happen. Not to speak of the potential pain a sepperating attempt usually caused.

"Don't worry human. This time will work. I peeked into Alphys's notes and found a way that might just work. No wonder she didn't want to show us. She knew I wouldn't rest after getting to know her thesis."

"It's still a thesis Flowey. Just, let me get back to sleep."

Yin groaned in annoyance as another thought crossed her mind.

"How did you look into Alphys's notes?"

She asked suspiciously.

"I...I might have used your body. Now let's get this over with."

Flowery snapped.

"Hold on. You did what? How did you-"

"Just like you did. Now let's continue on this."

"No no no no. Wait. Hold on. Last time we tried in a test you said you couldn't take over the human part of this fusion. Just your original vessel. Just like I'm no longer able to move your vines. Now, how are you all of a sudden able to move my whole body trough the lab?"

The Flower was silent just a second before snapping.

"I might have used my vines. Ok? Now, please, just let get this over with!"

Had he just… Pleaded her for something? Did he actually use the word please? To say that Yin was suprised would be an understatement. This seemed urgent.

"Flowey, what did you read in Alphys notes."

He went completely silent. This thus the fact that he just had genuinely pleaded her to do something in such an urging way made her hair stand on an edge. Rhetorically, her body wouldn't react to emotions just yet.

"I… our connection. I don't know how but whatever kind of determination was left of you merged with whatever was left of mine-ours. Supported by the determination Alphys have you. I don't know if it means what I think but I'm certain that the longer we wait the less chances we have to return to our former self."

"So what your telling me it's now or never."

Yin clarified.

"Exactly!".

"O-Ok. I will assist just… Don't kill us."

"Oh, of course you're scared already. ...I will avoid it to kill you. For now."

Flowey complained dramatically.

"Uhm thanks for… the thread?"

The flower exclaimed a maniac giggle before starting up the machine.

It was still not completely repaired, so much was clear by all the trouble they had with it, but at least it was running.

"S-So, what now?"

Yin asked cautiously.

"Get in the machine."

The flower ordered.

"Again? No. No way. Flowery, that didn't work the first hundred times we tried, why should it work now?"

"Because now we don't have any other choice? See over there? I already placed a flower vessel in the extractors output. It will basically drop my conscious into it. Good as new. You can keep the necklace afterwards. We just stopped the machine to early all the other times. We can do this, Yin. We need to do this!"

"Flowey. This is crazy! It almost killed us enough times to know that it wasn't the duration that didn't work but the whole procedure!"

"So you won't do it?"

The flower concluded.

"Yes, I won't."

Yin agreed.

"Very well, Yin. I tried to get your consent first but if you refuse to help me with this I don't have any choice. Your already agreed to assist me anyways so now do what you promised for just once!"

With that Yins body started to move. Without her intention and without her consent. It was easy to call this the most horrific experience she ever had. If she hadn't already experienced her essence being ripped from her. Still. Not being able to control your body. Being forced to move without willing to. Fighting against it without success. It was like it if a nightmare. Her body climbed into the extractor and closed it. A vine started it and she could feel and hear the machine rear up. Her attempts to break free failed and panic was clouding her mind as the warmth of fogged magic surrounded her and determination, the very substance that had gotten her into this begin to fade from her body. She screamed. It was going way to fast this time. Yes, she knew this procedure, but now she was panicking. She knew what could go wrong. Knew that alphys wasn't here to stitch her up again. She didn't want to die again. Didn't want to fade. 

"Calm down, human."

Flowey gritted trough klenched teeth. She was suprised that we was still able to speak under this amount of magic pressure. How high had he set this machine? Was he actually just trying to sepperated them or had his stupid suicidal jokes gotten the better of him and he was actually trying to kill them? She couldn't know. She couldn't know anything at all anymore. She faded in a felt like burning magic. Her last thought was just how much she hated it. How much she hated it to faint. To be useless. To be unable to defend herself. To be unable to just simply survive in a stupid kids games world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's not dead?  
> Correct! I'm not!  
> Probably won't need as much time with the next chapter... Hopefully.  
> Anyways; I'm not really proud of this one so I would appreciate feedback to know if it's alright or needs some patching up.
> 
> Thanks for reading it. I hope I managed to produce something enjoyable so far.


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